MATTY’S GRIEVING MOTHER: ALL MY SON EVER WANTED WAS TO BE A DAD

MATTHEW Dale has a baby son who will grow up never knowing his father, his grief-stricken mother has revealed.

Mandy Dale spoke out after a jury convicted a teenage boy of killing Matthew, known as Matty, in a row over a £20 bag of cannabis. The youth was cleared of his murder.

Now Mandy has revealed Matty, of Dresden, has become a father since his death. She said: “I have been robbed of a life with my son Matty, and as a family we will never come to terms with our loss.

“Since this has happened he has become a father to a baby boy, Kayden.

“Matty will never have the opportunity to see his son. The baby will never meet his father.

“Matty was really excited about the baby coming. All he ever wanted was to be was a dad. I would like to thank members of the community who came forward to help with the investigation.”

Twenty-three-year-old Matty had gone out with friends on the evening of October 4 when he met the youth, who was then 16, who wanted a £20 bag of cannabis.

But when it transpired he was unable to pay for it, he and Matty began fighting.

The teen then used a knife to stab Matty, leaving him with a catastrophic 14cm deep wound, among other injuries, including one to his head which police believe he suffered when falling.

Matty died in an ambulance taking him to the Royal Stoke University Hospital.

Detective Inspector Alan Lyford, of Staffordshire Police, said: “This was a tragic case and we’d like to offer our condolences to Matty’s friends and family.”