‘I COULDN’T EVEN MENTION HIS NAME BECAUSE IT HURT SO MUCH’
Mum opens up on nightmare of murder
AMOTHER whose son was brutally murdered in broad daylight said she still has nightmares two years after it happened. On June 12, 2016, father-to-be Lynford Brewster was stabbed to death in the Llanedeyrn area of the city.
The three men found guilty of his murder were jailed for a combined total of 90 years.
But their sentences were reduced on appeal last December.
Lynford’s devastated mum, June Whittaker, 52, has spoken out about the effect his murder has had on her family after a number of knife attacks were reported in the same city where he died.
She is now calling for automatic custodial sentences for anyone caught with a knife.
Speaking about the day her son was killed, she said: “I received a call from my partner at the time whose nephew lived close by.
“He asked who I was with and I said I was alone. Then he said that Lynford had been stabbed and that he didn’t know if he was alive.
“I didn’t believe it, I was not sure if it was even true.
“When I arrived my eldest daughter had got there before me. She told the emergency services she was his sister and they told her they were working on him so she couldn’t see him.
“Then they came over to us and I just remember them telling us he was gone.
“I couldn’t sleep for days. have nightmares.
“I shut myself up, I was scared to go out. I couldn’t even mention his name for weeks because it hurt so much and I thought I would break down.”
The judge who jailed the three thugs described the murder as a “callous, cold-blooded killing” and said they had “shown no mercy” or any remorse since.
The trio had armed themselves with a combat knife which had a blade about six inches long, and began hunting down the 29-year-old.
Lynford was chased down an alleyway, stabbed repeatedly and left to die.
Lynford, who was about to become a father, never got to meet his daughter.
June paid tribute to the members of the public who came forward to get her son justice as part of the criminal investigation. I still
She said: “The police were amazing. The forensics, the family liaison, everything.
“They had caught the within the first 24 hours.
“In court you hear all the specific details and it’s hard to listen to it. You can’t unhear those details, they will always be there.
“The details came from the witnesses. They were amazing and we thanked them in our family statement.
“One was only a teenager and lis- first one tening to them describe what happened to my son was heartbreaking.
“Without them they would not have got convicted. Those witnesses are good people. They are hardworking people. They were normal people and they were brave enough to come forward.”
Dwayne Edgar, then 29, of Llanedeyrn, Jake Whelan, then 24, of no fixed abode, and Robert Lainsbury, then 22, of Kidderminster in Worcestershire, were all found guilty of Lynford’s murder.
Lainsbury even spat at the glass wall of the dock towards a police officer as he was being taken down.
Edgar was sentenced to 28 years; Lainsbury was sentenced to 30 years; and Whelan was sentenced to 32 years.
An appeal at the High Court saw Whelan’s tariff reduced to 28 years, Lainsbury’s to 26 years and Edgar’s to 25 years.
“I was satisfied with the sentences,” said June. “I didn’t think they would get near that.
“It was strange because after the sentences I did not feel anything at all. No matter how long they are locked up they will have TVs and they will have visitors.
“When they appealed I went to the High Court to see it.
“I didn’t see why they should have any reduction. When someone kills someone else they should be in for life, like in America.
“Their appeal was based on the fact they were young when sentenced. Well my son will never be older – he will always be 29.
“They got three years off their sentence but I thought they were going to get as much as five.
“They should not have even had one day off their sentences.”
Describing her son, June said: “He was like Marmite – you loved him or you hated him.
“He was no angel, I know that. But whatever he did in his life he did not deserve this.
“They don’t realise that, no matter who someone is, there is someone somewhere that loves them.”
Lynford’s murder came almost 27 years to the day that his father had died, also aged 29.
“His father died aged 29 on June 17 almost exactly 27 years before,” said June.
“He was a professional boxer from Splott. His name was Darwin Brewster but his nickname was Pele.”
Since Lynford’s death there have been several crimes in Cardiff involving knives.
June said she is reminded of her son every time she hears about one of these attacks.