Mum's nine last words to son, 17, as he dies of stab wounds in sickening murder

Theresa Cave recovered her lad Chris, who was astir to go a dad, slumped connected a stairwell arsenic paramedics successful Redcar, North Yorkshire, tried to prevention his beingness pursuing the weapon attack

A grieving mum vowed to combat knife crime the infinitesimal her lad laic stricken of stab wounds suffered astatine the hands of youths.

Chris Cave, 17, would succumb to the 4 wounds suffered successful a senseless execution erstwhile h had been trying to support a friend. Theresa recovered the teen slumped connected a stairwell arsenic paramedics tried to prevention his life.

Chris died by the clip helium reached A&E, wherever Theresa said a heartbreaking goodbye to her child. She said: "I promised 'I volition marque immoderate bully travel retired of this'. Those were the past words I whispered to him."

And now, astir 23 years on, Theresa continues with her crusade to halt weapon crime. She spoke astir her travel this week successful the aftermath of the sentencing of Hassan Sentamu, who murdered schoolgirl Elianne Andam successful a shocking stabbing astatine a autobus halt successful Croydon, southbound London.

In a furious missive aft Chris's death, Theresa had told politicians Britain was connected the brink of a pandemic of weapon crime. Now, speaking successful the aftermath of Elianne's murder, Theresa said: "I told them 20 years ago, 'You're not listening'. And look astatine it now."

Knife transgression has soared crossed England and Wales; up astir 3 quarters successful the past decade, with the Northeast of England 1 of the worst affected areas. It is wherever Chris was killed successful 2003 - Redcar successful North Yorkshire specifically - but Theresa says she present reads astir stabbings happening each implicit the UK.

The mum has lobbied politicians to enforce heavier penalties. The maximum custodial condemnation for weapon possession is 4 years. She continued: "You've got Starmer throwing radical successful jailhouse for rioting, for waving flags, for shouting astatine police. If helium did the aforesaid with those caught with knives it wouldn't beryllium agelong earlier they halt carrying, due to the fact that they'd cognize that there's a deterrent, there's going to beryllium a consequence."

Chris, who was astir to go a dad, was stabbed repeatedly with a 12-inch leaf arsenic helium helped a person support his location from a pack of youths. These included Sean Matson, who was truthful precocious connected portion and drugs during the onslaught that helium could not retrieve it. He was convicted of execution and is successful prison.

Young radical inactive look challenges crossed the state present but statistic amusement poorness has deed Redcar, successful particular, hard successful caller years. According to 2021 census data, 22 per cent of adults successful Redcar and Cleveland person nary ceremonial qualifications compared with the UK mean of 18 per cent. In the Northeast of England, 1 successful 7 children is increasing up without a household subordinate successful a job.