THE family and friends of murdered Shane Tunney have spoken of their shock and disappointment at the "lenient" sentences passed down to the seven teenagers who brutally attacked the "fun-loving" car valeter.
Anthony Kirk spoke publicly for the first time since his best friend saved his life after refusing to flee in a taxi when he was being assaulted.
Outside Teesside Crown Court, Mr Kirk stood side by side with Mr Tunney's long time girlfriend Vix Cooper – who had earlier read out an emotional victim impact statement in court – to express their frustration with the sentences.
VICTIM: Shane Tunney with his girlfriend, Vix Cooper
Mr Kirk, who was beaten senseless with fists and a metal bar, spoke of how he lost a best friend and how the horrors of the fateful evening in June last year would stay with him for the rest of his life.
"Shane was a great man I knew," he said.
"If he had run away it would have been me who was dead now. It's ruined my life and there's always going to be a piece of me missing - Shane saved my life."
Speaking at his experience of sitting through the trial of the gang who brutally attacked him and his friend, he said: "It's one of the worst things in my life. It turns your life upside down, you have to put everything on hold to come here and get bad news.
"I'm annoyed that some of them didn't get sentenced for what they did to me, but the one who did the main stuff to me got sentenced and I'm okay with that."
Miss Cooper, who had been in a relationship with Mr Tunney for almost five years, expressed her dismay at the sentencing.
"It's very disappointing," she said.
"We knew we were never going to get what we wanted for Shane but some of them (the sentences) we felt were disappointing and we don't think it's long enough for them to be rehabilitated."
Shane's father Keith Wilson added: "We have lost our son and he will never be coming back. I think the system is unfair – in a couple of years time they will be walking the streets again. We are very disappointed."
When asked whether the family would challenge the sentences, Mr Wilson said he wasn't sure whether they could put themselves through it all again.
Mr Kirk's stepfather, Sam Walley said: "It does seem that the system, certainly in this case, does favour them as oppose to us. We have lost Shane, Anthony has been assaulted - it just feels like the system has looked after them."
During the month-long trial a jury heard how Mr Tunney and Mr Kirk had been using a cash machine in Norton, near Stockton, on the night that would ultimately lead to the death of the 24-year-old.
The pair were targeted after telling the gang, who were sitting on the roof of Tesco throwing rotten food at the them, to stop it.
Mr Tunney's attackers were said to have booted his head and body "as though they were kicking footballs at goal" in the assault on him and Mr Kirk.
Mr Kirk survived the onslaught, despite being beaten with a metal bar, but his pal died five weeks later in hospital without regaining consciousness.
JAILED: Brandon Pitt
JAILED: Jake Douglas
JAILED: Daniel Josh Hunt
Two teenage cousins were given life sentences for the murder of Mr Tunney, while five other teenagers were found guilty of his manslaughter.
Gang ‘leader’ Kearan Terry Davis, 18, was sentenced to life for murder. He must serve a minimum of 15 years before he can be considered for release.
He was also sentenced to four years concurrent for ABH on Anthony Kirk and 64 months concurrent for a separate assault.
In mitigation, Peter Makepeace, said: "There are no words that I could express that could in any way assist the family."
His cousin, Kieron Harry Davis, also 18, was also sentenced to life for murder.
He must serve a minimum 13 years. He was sentenced to a further 18 months concurrent for actual bodily harm assault on Anthony Kirk.
Nicholas Lumley, speaking in mitigation, said: "There was no intention to kill. There must have been a decision to act in a particular way but there was no true premeditation in the truest sense. This was spontaneous violence."
Brandon Pitt, 18, was sentenced to seven years for the manslaughter of Shane Tunney and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to Anthony Kirk, a separate assault on another man and a phone theft.
The court heard how the teenager was born addicted to heroin due his mother's drug problem.
Tim Roberts QC said: "Speaking to him this morning about the prospect of prison, he said 'it may well do me good' – that's a short observation which reveals insight into his own circumstances which have brought him before this court."
Jake Douglas, 18, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years for manslaughter. No separate penalty was imposed for actual bodily harm assault to Anthony Kirk.
Francis Fitzgibbon QC, said there was no direct physical contact between Douglas and the two victims. He said his client had calmed down since the end of the trial, there is no defiance in prison and is trying to make the best of it.
He said: "We would suggest, he was a follower rather than a leader and certainly not a planner. He went with the flow and got himself involved in these terrible events. What happened that night will stay with him for the rest of his life."
Daniel Hunt, 18, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years for manslaughter, with no separate penalty for the actual bodily harm assault to Anthony Kirk.
Richard Wright QC, in mitigation, told the court that his client had not taken part in the earlier violence but accepted his part in the attack on Mr Tunney.
He said: "He is an immature young man who had some difficulty in his reasoning due to his limited intellect but recognised that some of his behaviour had been poor."
A 17-year-old – aged 16 at the time of the assault and who cannot be named for legal reasons – was sentenced to four years for manslaughter. There was no separate penalty for the actual bodily harm assault on Anthony Kirk.
Jamie Hill QC, said the defendant was an immature and childlike young man.
He said: "I invite you to sentence him as a not very sophisticated 16-year-old. He has expressed remorse but understands this will not be acceptable to his family."
A 16-year-old boy, who also cannot be named, was sentenced to three years and nine months for manslaughter. There was no separate penalty for actual bodily harm assault on Anthony Kirk.
Andrew Rutter, in mitigation, said his client was the youngest of those involved in the incident. He said: "He is someone who is easily led; someone who follows and does not lead."
Gerry Wareham, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS North-East, welcomed the sentences and praised officers from Cleveland Police who worked on the sensitive case.
He said: "This was a group attack, which ultimately led to Mr Tunney’s tragic death. The jury, having considered the evidence with the utmost of care, arrived at verdicts which they felt reflected the involvement of each member of the group.
“The family and friends of Shane Tunney have demonstrated impeccable dignity at what must be an incredibly difficult time for all of them.
"I sincerely hope that today’s sentences provide a measure of comfort, though I am equally mindful of the enormity of their loss.
“I extend my sincere thanks to the investigative officers of Cleveland Police, with whom we have worked very closely to build a robust case against those sentenced.”
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