Colin Richards, 48, was murdered by 19-year-old Corey Gauci who stabbed him in the thigh with knife and caused him to bleed to death.
The partner of a man murdered by a teenager who stabbed him in the thigh said she has told his children “daddy is a star in the sky”. His mother said his death had taught her that “tomorrow is never promised.”
Father-of-seven Colin Richards, 48, was stabbed to death in the street by Corey Gauci, 19, just after 11pm on April 7 last year following an argument between a former couple. He suffered damage to the femoral artery and vein – an injury which proved to be fatal.
Gauci had become involved in an argument between former couple Noreen O’Driscoll and Christian Morgan which saw two groups travelling to an area of Ely in Cardiff, some armed with knives. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter.
During the incident, Mr Richards and Morgan were chased by Gauci and James O’Driscoll, who were carrying blades and wearing balaclavas. As Morgan managed to outrun James O’Driscoll, Mr Richards and Gauci came together near his parked Audi car in Heol y Berllan.
Mr Richards was stabbed to the thigh by Gauci and later bled to death in the street after police and paramedics were called to the scene by Morgan. Gauci and James O’Driscoll fled the scene and went on the run to Stoke-on-Trent, while Noreen O’Driscoll, her mother Soraya Somersall and Somersall’s partner Rebecca Ross assisted in disposing of knives.
At a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday a statement was read on behalf Mr Richards’ partner Toni Clayton who said his loss had impacted her in “so many ways”. Follow updates on the sentencing of Corey Gauci for the murder of Colin Richards here.
She added: “I am really struggling to put this into words. How do I write a statement that gives the court a true reflection of the everyday impact I have endured since Colin was taken from us?
“He was my partner and father of my two young children. We had just started our adventure together as a family and had so many plans but that’s been taken from us now.
“Colin was my biggest supporter who encouraged me to go back to university and supported me in so many ways. He made sure he was available to have the kids while I studied. It was part of our big plan to make life better for us all. I found it so difficult to carry on my studies since Colin’s passing.
“Now he’s gone I don’t have any support. Even though it’s really tough, I haven’t given up my university studies, I know how important it was to Colin and I never wanted to let him down.
“I don’t really know how I have done it, some days are harder than others. His absence in my life on a day-to-day basis is a constant reminder of what happened to him.
“I’m living in a flat on my own with two babies which leaves me feeling scared and I am anxious going to bed at night and have constant reminders of Colin in my head.
“I often see him sticking little stickers on walls and doors, doing fun things with the kids and us being a family, something I’ve always wanted.”
Ms Clayton said that following Mr Richards’ death she was prescribed sleeping tablets and her anti-depressant medication was increased. She also said she is suffering from PTSD.
She added: “I tell both of my children daddy is a star in the sky. It breaks my heart they will never know their daddy.
“Colin is gone and I must bring up our two babies on my own. I am feeding them, buying them clothes, paying their nursery fees and I have no emotional support as well.
“I am a single mum of two children, although I am coping this should not be happening. All our lives changed when Colin died.
“He was always dancing with the kids, singing with them and reading them books at bedtime. I cherish these moments and will make sure the kids know how much their daddy loved them.
“He was my emotional support, helped me and showed me love while getting through the grief of my mother’s death. I miss him so very much.
“I have worried about the trial coming up, feeling greatly I can’t fit everything in. Managing university, the kids, life and the trial. I didn’t want to miss anything, I needed to understand as much as I could about what happened.
“Colin always spoke about being the better person and I have tried my best to be the better person.
“I have heard the devastating detail of how he died and faced the people who are responsible for taking him away from us. I dread having to explain to our babies why they don’t have their daddy anymore.
“I have a constant fear of losing everyone around me after losing my mum and Colin so tragically.
“He was more than my partner, he was my best friend. It’s not just the obvious loss I feel, it’s the day to day reminders of how losing Colin has impacted our lives. I will miss Colin with all my heart.”
A statement was also read out on behalf of Mr Richards’ mother Pamela Grant. She said: “Colin was deeply cherished by his family and as a son, father, grandfather, brother, cousin and nephew. He was always the life and soul of the party and a big personality who did things his own way.
“Behind the tough exterior was a sensitive and caring man but he rarely showed that side, believing he had to be strong, but he cared for his family.
“Throughout my illness he made sure I had help with day to day living. Colin and I spoke on the telephone every day, often two to three times a day. Every day we feel the absence of his presence. So many things have been left unsaid and we always thought there would be more time to say them.
“Colin was my first child. The pain I am feeling of losing him cannot be put into words. His passing taught us the painful truth ‘tomorrow is never promised.’
“We never imagined losing Colin in the way we did. The thought of his children growing up without him and missing so many milestones is heartbreaking. The hardest moments are at Christmas, Easter and times we all gather as a family. Now it feels something is always missing.
“They say time heals and I pray that’s true. The pain of losing him is overwhelming. The stolen time and lost moments weigh heavy on our hearts.
“We pray Colin has found peace in the presence of the Lord, the only comfort we can hold onto.
“The only good thing that can come from this is to serve to remind us to cherish each other as tomorrow is never guaranteed.”