Four men have been jailed for a combined total of 103 years after being found guilty of the murder of a 22-year-old man in Ilkeston in 2021.
The incident began when Byron Griffin, along with four friends, drove to Great Northern Close, Ilkeston, in a blue Ford Focus in the early afternoon on Sunday 4th July 2021.
As Mr Griffin left the car Grant Masterson produced a baseball bat and the pair began fighting – before the three other men joined in to aid Masterson.
Masterson was armed with a baseball bat – while Dylan Geary armed with a machete slashed at the 22-year-old from East Leake.
Witnesses then saw Jordan Fairbrother stab Mr Griffin in the chest with a knife, which, when found by officers hidden in a bag of dog food, was found to have both Jordan Fairbrother’s, and Daniel Lewsley’s, DNA on it.
Mr Griffin managed to flee the scene but collapsed in Eyre’s Garden, a short distance from where the fight took place.
A single stab wound had pierced his lung and heart and despite the efforts of paramedics he was pronounced dead at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.
Dylan Geary, 22, Daniel Lewsley, 32, Grant James Masterson, 29, all of Great Northern Close, Ilkeston, and 26-year-old Jordan Fairbrother, of Nelson Street, Swadlincote, were all charged with murder in relation to the death of Mr Griffin.
On Friday 18th February, following a trial at Derby Crown Court the four, who had all denied the charge, were found guilty of murder.
The quartet were each handed a life sentence of 25 years or more.
Following the verdict being delivered Zoe Cooke, Mr Griffin’s mother, said: “Nothing will ever be enough justice for losing my beautiful boy Byron. He was my best friend, and I worshiped the ground he walked on.
“My family and I are broken. I know that one day these men will walk free and live their lives and we will live with the fact that Byron is gone forever. Our family has been destroyed beyond belief. Byron had so much to live for and was genuinely loved by so many.
“We will miss him forever but can say that justice has been done. I’d like to thank all those involved with this investigation from Derbyshire Constabulary and the Crown Prosecution team. I couldn’t fault them in anyway and am genuinely thankful to them.”
Detective Inspector Mark Shaw, who alongside DCI Sally Blaiklock led the investigation into the murder of Mr Griffin, said: “Geary, Lewsley, Masterson and Fairbrother were all prepared with a number of weapons when Byron Griffin left his car that Sunday afternoon.
“The quartet were ready to use those weapons and did so to devastating effect.
“Byron didn’t die immediately, he was able to run away from the four, and one can only imagine how scared he must have been in those last few moments.
“The impact his murder has had on his family is clear from his mother, Zoe’s words and, while no sentence will ever bring Byron back, I hope that today brings some degree of closure for Zoe and the rest of the family.”