Mum of teen murdered outside Bath McDonald's speaks out as knife-obsessed killer jailed for life

The mother of a teenager who was stabbed to death in Bath has spoken of being "totally destroyed" by his murder after his killer was sentenced.

Ben Moncrieff, 18, was attacked by a 15-year-old outside a McDonald's in the Southgate area of Bath in the early hours of Saturday 6 May.

The south London teenager, who is now 16, was found guilty of murder by a jury and was handed a life sentence during a hearing at Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday 6 December. He must serve a minimum of 15 years.

During the trial in October, the jury heard that the teenager glorified knives.

Today (6 December) Bristol Crown Court heard Mr Moncrieff had stepped into a row between the defendant and another boy in the early hours of May 6 and was invited to “come around the corner” where he was stabbed.

The murder was captured on CCTV with the footage showing Mr Moncrieff's attacker arriving on Southgate Street before a disagreement with someone in the group.

Moments later, the teenager is shown lifting his top to reveal a knife.

Ben can then be seen stepping in to diffuse the situation before he is stabbed in the chest.

At the hearing, his Honour Judge Peter Blair KC said that no sentence could be considered long enough, given the impact of Ben's death.

He stressed that the defendant had gone out with a knife, while Ben's hands were empty.

At the hearing, Ben's mother Sharon Hendry read a personal statement to the court.

She described Ben getting ready and going for a rare night out with his girlfriend and then rushing to his side after getting the call that he had been stabbed.

She said: "Ben filled our home with his friends, laughter and made our home a happy place, full of life."

"I did not have the chance to hold Ben and tell him how much I love him. I was too late, I couldn't comfort Ben. A mum's worst nightmare.

"Ben's room stays just as he left it. I go in every day to think of the memories that I have.

"I feel totally destroyed and now have a life sentence without Ben."

Senior Investigating Officer Mark Newbury said: "Ben was tragically in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was an innocent man trying to defend a friend when he was stabbed and killed. 

"The defendant made a conscious decision to take a knife with him that day and attack a defenceless young man. It was a decision that has cost him his freedom, but more importantly one person's life.

"The murder investigation that followed involved a large amount of police resources from across all directorates and we are pleased to have secured Ben's loved ones the answers to the questions they so richly deserved.

"The courage his friends and family have shown ever since Ben's death has been quite incredible and I want to personally thank them for the support they have shown us.

"Today may see the end of the court process, but their grief and pain remains raw. It is clear how loved Ben was and how much he will always be missed by those who knew him."