Heartbroken mum of young dad stabbed to death in Mansfield speaks of grief as his killer is jailed

Jonathan Treadgold knifed 18-year-old Liam Gray at a house in Mansfield last August, killing him, just two weeks after Liam’s partner had given birth to their daughter.

Treadgold, also 18, of Kent Close, in Worksop, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court today (Monday, February 10) and told he must serve a minimum of 16 years behind bars, after being found guilty of murder.

In a heartbreaking victim personal statement, Liam’s mother, Joanne Peters, said: "My family will forever have to live with the consequences of what happened to Liam on August 1, 2019. That date will never go from our lives or our minds.

"Liam’s partner, Sian, gave birth to their daughter, Isla, on July 18, 2019, and they were looking forward to starting life together as a family.

"Liam has been robbed of his life and Isla has been robbed of having a dad in her life.

"There are so many things Liam never got to do. He hadn’t learned to drive, been to college, got a stable job, got married, bought a house or had the chance to parent Isla and watch her grow up. We, as a family, have been robbed of watching him do all that too."

The court heard how Liam had met up with Treadgold and another man at a house on Gladstone Street on August 1 and they had spent the afternoon drinking in the garden before visiting a local pub.

They returned to the house and shortly afterwards Treadgold came out of the back door and told a man he’d stabbed Liam, before running off.

The man found Liam standing inside clutching a tea towel to his chest, his white T-shirt stained with blood, and the teenager was taken to hospital where he died later that day.

Detective Chief Inspector Kevin Broadhead said: "This tragic case highlights the truly devastating consequences of carrying and using a knife and I hope the sentence given to Treadgold acts as a deterrent for anyone else who thinks it is alright to carry knives.”