Victims Story: My son had everything to live for – we want justice
Aug 26 2010 By Rebekah Oruye
FRIDAY, January 16, 2009, will forever be etched into the mind of heartbroken Tracey Williams whose eldest son died on that day – as he was out celebrating his younger brother’s 20th birthday.
Craig Thompson was just 24 when he died following a late night scuffle in Kings Heath High Street.
The doting dad was engaged to fiancée Katie Brown and was expecting a new baby within two months.
But, tragedy struck on a night that was supposed to be a memorable occasion shared with family and friends.
His devastated mum said her son had “everything to live for”.
“Craig was an absolutely lovely lad. A happy young man who would never ask for anything. He was a hands-on dad, so proud of daughter and Katie’s son, his step-son George. He was looking forward to having another baby girl with Katie,” she said.
“The last time I spoke to Craig was on 4pm that afternoon. He’d told me what he had planned for the evening and that he would not be staying out too late because Katie was heavily pregnant. I told him to look after Jamie – something I would always say to each of them whenever they went out.”
Craig, together with his step-brothers, stepdad and a group of friends had played snooker before heading into the Pear Tree Pub.
What happened next was to change the families’ lives forever.
Police believe Craig had been embroiled in a violent row, but the attack was only partially captured by CCTV. Craig was last spotted in a heated discussion with one of Jamie’s friends, a man called Lee Jones. Eyewitnesses said they saw two men, grappling, pushing and pulling at each other along the street, some distance behind a bigger group that had moved on to another pub.
But none of them could identify either man.
A lack of evidence meant the Crown Prosecution Service could not proceed with any charges. At the inquest into his death, examinations concluded that Craig had died from severe head injuries.
