Mum of murdered Owen Dunn says he was a 'gentleman' and 'always cracking a joke'

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The mother of a teenager who was murdered in Swindon in 2022 has said he was a "gentleman" and "always cracking a joke".

Zoe Mitchell has spoken to ITV News West Country about her son Owen Dunn, who died aged 18, for the first time since his killing.

A 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named because of his age, and 18-year-old Tyler Hunt were both convicted of Owen's murder at Bristol Crown Court on 30 November 2023.

Ms Mitchell is now campaigning for knife amnesty bins to be installed around Swindon in an effort to stop other young people from carrying weapons.

She said: "I just want kids to feel like if they are carrying a knife they've got somewhere to go. They can think 'right I can put it in there and I'm not going to be monitored by the police'.

"We're doing it off our own back. This is going to be ongoing. Hopefully the first of many. We're going to get them around Swindon like the bleed kits."

Zoe has spoken to ITV News for the first time since Owen's death Credit: ITV News

Owen's mother added that having a purpose was what kept her going.

"Otherwise I think I'd just curl up and die. It gives me something to focus on and I can keep my son's memory alive.

"It's horrible, I wake up every day and it hits me that he's not here anymore. It's just horrible, I don't want anyone to ever go through this.

"And if I can stop anyone from having to go through this then my work's done," she said.

Zoe has been campaigning for knife bins to be installed in Swindon Credit: ITV News

Campaigning for the knife bins has also given her a chance to reflect on her son's life.

She added: "Owen was so much fun. He'd go down the street and he was a little gentleman.

"He'd hold the door for people. He'd say 'alright, hello'. Everyone knew him, he was just happy-go-lucky. Always cracking a joke."

"I think we're getting the awareness out there now. Hopefully we can tackle it and just do our best, and hopefully just make one child think 'no, I'm not going to take that knife out'.

"We just go into schools and have conversations with them.

"As a parent, it's difficult to have those conversations with your kids, but if we had the conversation in school, hopefully they'll go home and take it home to the parents and they'll be able to continue that conversation with the parents."