Tavis Spencer-Aitkens father: Death 'ripped our hearts out'

Tavis Spencer-Aitkens died in hospital after being stabbed 15 times

The father of a 17-year-old stabbed 15 times on the street outside his home has called his son's killers "cowards".

Tavis Spencer-Aitkens was also hit over the head with a glass bottle on 2 June in Ipswich. He died later in hospital.

Three men and a teenager were found guilty of his murder at Ipswich Crown Court in March.

Neville Aitkens said: "The death devastated us. It's actually ripped our hearts out. I wouldn't want any other family to go through this."

Asked how he would describe the killers, he said: "Cowards. That is the only word I have got for them."

Neville Aitkens and partner Helen Forbes described what it was like in the moments after he was stabbed

Tavis was killed in revenge for trouble that flared between two rival gangs.

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He was friends with a group which called themselves Neno or The Three, while his attackers belonged to a group known as J-Block, the court was told.

Mr Aitkens said his son had pleaded with him "don't let me die" as he lay on the ground after the stabbing, cradled by his stepsister.

His partner Helen Forbes said it "still feels like a bad dream".

Mr Aitkens remembered a son who loved reggae and R&B, a "mini-me" who was always joking and was praised as polite and kind by many people after his death.

Ms Forbes added: "They've not only hurt and destroyed both [Tavis's] families, they've hurt and destroyed their own parents and grandparents.

"They'll now face the consequences."

Isaac Calver, 19, of St Helen's Street, Ipswich, Aristote Yenge, 23, of Spring Road in Ipswich; Adebayo Amusa, 20, of Sovereign Road, Barking, east London; and 17-year-old Kyreis Davies, of Turnstile Square, Colchester and formerly of Ipswich, were found guilty of murder.

Callum Plaats, 23, of no fixed address, was found not guilty of murder, but was convicted of manslaughter.

They will be sentenced on 29 April.