The family of a man killed in a gang robbery said he was “in the summer of his life” and hoped to become a dad.
Thomas Edmunds was killed after he was put in a chokehold as three men and a teenager, all of whom he knew, attacked him to steal cash for drugs and alcohol.
Kevin Nethercote, Terence Bennett and Kevin Condliffe were all jailed last week for conspiracy to rob while Thomas Broadhurst, who put Mr Edmunds in the chokehold, was jailed for manslaughter.
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In a moving statement given to the court last Friday, Mr Edmunds’ mother Sheila described how her son’s death had come when he was finding his footing in life and as he hoped to become a father.
Mrs Edmunds said: “Tom was in the summer of his life. He had a new focus and was making a career within the building trade.
“He was happy with his life at this point, for the first time in a long time he had something to aim for, something in which he could have achieved and been successful.”
She said the 36 year old loved spending time with his nieces and nephews and, like other family members, wanted kids of his own.
Mrs Edmunds said: “Tom was still a young man with the rest of his life to live.
“He had not had children, which he wanted. He was a fabulous uncle, loved children and would have been a brilliant father.
“That gift has been taken from him and from us. He had so much to live for.”
The court also heard of the effect on Mr Edmund’s death on the wider family, some of whom Mrs Edmunds said would never recover.
Mr Edmunds was found face down and unconscious by his own father, with whom he lived.
Mrs Edmunds said her son’s death in hospital hours later had meant it was now difficult for the family to even find comfort in happy memories of his life.
She said: “This should not have happened. Our lasting memory should be of all the good times. However, on closing our eyes we see our poor Tommy lying in hospital with all those machines and tubes surrounding him.
“Our Tommy should still be here, if it was not for the actions of others. They could not imagine how much pain and damage they have caused our family. It breaks our hearts that we will never see his smiling face again.”
Broadhurst, 32 of Regal Road, Croxteth, was sentenced to 10 years, eight months after admitting manslaughter and conspiracy to rob.
Bennett, 34, of Sovereign Hey, Croxteth, and Nethercote, 48, of Regal Road, Croxteth, were sentenced to eight years and nine years four months respectively after admitting conspiracy to rob.
Condliffe, of Carr Lane East, Croxteth, was sentenced to five years.
