Cambridge mum 'shattered' by death of son who was stabbed by two men over drugs money

The heartbroken mother of a man who was stabbed to death over drugs money has said she is "haunted" by thoughts of his final moments.

Father-of-one Joshua Barr, 31, was killed in Cambridge in the early hours of Sunday 10 March - Mother's Day.

Tyler Marshall, 20, and Cameron Stokes, 23, were found guilty of his murder and last month sentenced to 16 and 22 years in prison respectively.

It happened just after 5am, when Marshall and Stokes stabbed Mr Barr in Carlton Way.

Mr Barr ran from the scene but collapsed in nearby Ferrars Way, where he called an ambulance and told call handlers two people had attacked and stabbed him.

Paramedics arrived a short while later, but Mr Barr was pronounced dead at 6.10am.

Marshall and Stokes cycled away from the scene and fled to Wales.

Mr Barr's mother said that when she found out, her reality was shattered.

“When I woke that morning, Mother’s Day, I was wondering why I hadn’t heard from my boy," she said. "It was unusual for Joshua not to text or call me on this day.

“When police officers arrived a short while later and explained he had passed away and that a murder investigation had been started, I then knew of course, he wasn’t going to contact me. Not this Mother’s Day or any other.

“I was overwhelmed with panic, distress and was confused at the news. I couldn’t believe it."

During the trial, a court heard how Marshall had been running a drug line into Cambridge and was owed money by one of Mr Barr's friends.

Mr Barr's mum said the brutal murder had "destroyed many lives".

“There is nothing Joshua would have ever done to justify being stabbed so many times. I wake at night not being able to breathe. I am haunted with saturated thoughts of my sons’ final moments.

“This is the reality of knife crime and carrying a knife. It’s not a game. It’s real. Joshua didn’t die, he was murdered with a knife.”

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