‘I’ll miss my child forever’ Parents of Conner Marshall speak of ‘never ending hurt’ following inquest into his murder

Nadine and Richard Marshall have endured five years of pain.

Since losing their son Conner, there isn't a day goes by where they don't think about him.

Conner, 18, was murdered by David Braddon who launched a brutal attack on him at a caravan park in Porthcawl in 2015.

Braddon, who was being monitored by the probation service, had mistaken Conner for his estranged partner’s former boyfriend.

An inquest into Conner's death found he was unlawfully killed, but his death could not have been avoided despite failings by the probation service.

Richard Marshall and his wife Nadine say they have had to fight for answers since Conner's death

Following the assault, Conner spent four days in intensive care where he later died.

Conner's father Richard has spoken to ITV News for the first time since his son's death.

He told reporter Alexandra Hartley, “That picture is in my head all the time”.

"I just saw this human on the trolley and I realised it was Conner as he was going past", Richard said.

"It was horrible. I only just recognised my own son, he'd been beaten that bad."

Conner was beaten so badly his father said he barely recognised him when he arrived at hospital following the attack

The couple say they have faced a constant battle of getting access to services - something they argue is not the same for criminals.

“We've done nothing wrong, yet we're the ones losing out”, Richard said.

“Our children - we've had to fight for counsellors for the both of them. He [David] clicks his fingers, he's got a counsellor, a doctor. If we can stop one family from going through what we've gone through, we've done a job."

David Braddon was jailed for life for Conner's murder Credit: South Wales Police

During the inquest, Mrs Marshall said how her and her family had been "dragged through the depths of despair" since he died.

Nadine said her family have faced a battle to access services

From the moment they lost Conner, the fight for answers and the fight for change has driven Nadine and Richard.

“I want to make sure no other family is ever treated in the way we've been treated by the probation system”, Nadine told ITV News. “I can't eradicate crime, I can't stop crime happening but the way victims are shunted around and ignored and belittled is completely unacceptable and I want to make sure that doesn't happen.”

  • Watch the full interview by Alexandra Hartley:

Although the inquest is over, the trauma of what happened to Conner will always haunt them.

"You love your kids forever and I'll miss my child forever. You never stop loving your kids til the day you die", Richard said.

“I've got to keep going for my family. For my wife and my other two children.”

Conner pictured with his mum and dad

“Inside, I’m crumbling”, Nadine said.

“How can you get closure from having your eldest son cold bloodedly attacked, and robbed, stripped, beaten and murdered? How do you move on from that? Inside I'm crumbling, and I crumble daily. But I have to keep doing it for Conner, Conner wouldn't want me to give up. And I won't.”

In response, the National Probation Service said, “This was an awful crime and our thoughts remain with Conner Marshall’s family and friends.

“While the coroner found Conner’s death could not have been avoided, there is no doubt David Braddon’s probation supervision was not good enough.

“We have now taken responsibility for managing all offenders on licence in Wales from the Community Rehabilitation Company and 800 more probation officers are in training across England and Wales which will help to improve public protection."