Rohan Shand: 'Losing Fred is losing my life' says stabbed boy's dad

Rohan Shand, 16, died in Northampton in March

The father of a 16-year-old boy killed in a revenge attack by a younger teenager while walking home from school said it felt as if he too had died.

Rohan Shand, 16, known as Fred, died after being stabbed on Harborough Road in Northampton on 22 March.

A 15-year-old boy was found guilty of murder on Friday after a three-week trial at Northampton Crown Court.

The victim's father said it felt like "someone ripped my heart out" following his son's death.

A second defendant, a boy aged 17, was acquitted of murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter.

Both defendants previously admitted possession of a blade and will be sentenced at the same court on a date yet to be fixed.

Rohan Shand Snr said his son was his "world", a "gentle little guy" and someone who just loved to help other people.

During a trial, the jury heard Rohan was targeted as part of a "revenge attack" following a dispute outside a McDonald's.

But the younger defendant, who was aged 14 at the time, claimed not to have realised he had stabbed him until he fell to the ground.

He had been stabbed in the chest and died from profound blood loss, police said.

Mr Shand Snr told BBC Radio Northampton: "To lose my son, losing Fred is losing my life."

The impact of his son's death had been profound, with him finding it difficult to leave the house. But he said the trial was motivation to go out and be there for his son.

"I want justice for him, I came to see what's going on," he said.

Rohan Shand Snr said it felt like his heart had been "ripped out"

He remembered clearly being told Rohan was dead and said he was shaking and just desperately wanted to be by his side.

"I went to look, to see him on the ground like that. Never a child should be going down like that, a stupid way like that. Don't want that for no child," he said.

It had been hard for him to comprehend his son had died and he said it sometimes felt like he was only "on holiday and will come back".

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"I can't believe it, it still doesn't look like it happened... I can't stop crying, sleepless nights," he said.

Mr Shand Snr sat through the trial, listening to the detail with which the younger defendant tried to explain the circumstances that led to Rohan being stabbed and left on the ground while he fled.

It was "horrible" to hear how his son's life ended, he said.

Mr Shand Snr said: "I saw the knife in court... shoved into my son and I can't even explain it, how I feel right now. I don't have my son right now, just the graveside. I lose his mum, now I've lost my son."

Friday's verdict was a sign of "justice prevailing", Mr Shand Snr said.

The 16-year-old died following an incident on Harborough Road, close to the junction with The Cock Hotel

With the trial over, he said he wanted to focus on his son's legacy and raise awareness of the dangers of knife crime.

He said: "Something needs to be done, I want to do a Fred Foundation to see if I can use it to do something great.

"He was going to be a great man."

His message to other teenagers carrying knives was that it did "not make you hard or tough", but instead put you at risk.

"It can't continue like this - killing each other for nothing at all," he said.