Two men from Yorkshire have been jailed for murdering a young father who went to the aid of a 17-year-old girl while she was being attacked.
Reece Radford, 26, died from a single stab wound to the chest six days after being confronted by Dereck Owusu and Louis James.
Owusu, 40, of Strathmore Grove, Rotherham, and 46-year-old James, of Manor Lane, Sheffield, were both given life sentences at Sheffield Crown Court, with minimum terms of 15 years and 25 years respectively.
In a statement read out in Sheffield Crown Court, Mr Radford’s mother, Laura Radford, said: “It was not just my son who was killed that night, my family was killed, my heart is broken.
“Reece was the life and soul of this family. He would light a room up as soon as he came in. He wasn’t just my son, he was my best friend, my soulmate, my everything.
‘He was special and loved beyond life’
“It is killing me knowing I am never going to see his big brown eyes, never going to hear his laugh or see him grow into the best daddy ever. That has been taken away from us.”
Ms Radford added: “Our hearts will never heal from the loss of Reece – he was special and loved beyond life. We will all miss him forever.”
Police explained Owusu and James were on Arundel Gate in Sheffield city centre just before 1am on 29 September, when they saw the 17-year-old girl.
They added the pair shared alcohol with her before a violent confrontation broke out, which led to Owusu punching the teenager in the face.Mr Radford saw the incident, with officers saying he acted as a “good Samaritan” by stepping in to help the girl, punching Owusu in the face.
‘Sincere condolences’
Detective Chief Inspector Rebecca Hodgman said: “The three ended up in the road, and Reece fell to the floor where he was subjected to a barrage of kicks from both men.
“Then the assault abruptly ended. Reece crossed the road and collapsed on the other side. He had been stabbed in the chest.
“While Reece was lying critically injured on the floor, Owusu approached again swirling his belt in the air, before striking it at a friend of Reece, who was on the phone to the ambulance. The men then fled the scene a second time.”
Ms Hodgman added: “Reece’s family have been left devastated by his death, and I want to once again offer my sincere condolences to them.
“I hope the sentences handed to Owusu and James today will go some way to helping them start to rebuild their lives.”
