Winchester Crown Courtroom was heavy with emotion as it heard family members read out heartbreaking witness statements remembering Craig Laurie, the dad-of-two who was fatally stabbed in Basingstoke earlier this year.
As previously reported, Kenneth Walker, 64, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 32 years and 165 days for the murder of Craig, and the attempted murder of Craig’s brother, Scott Laurie.
Walker will not be eligible for parole until he is 96 years old.
His girlfriend, Jane Byrne, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for perverting the course of justice.
The tragic incident occurred on May 12 at Walker’s home in Basingstoke. Walker, under the influence of alcohol and drugs, armed himself with a knife and fatally stabbed Craig Laurie while injuring Scott Laurie, who managed to escape.
At the sentencing at Winchester Crown Court on Tuesday, December 3, the words of the family painted a vivid picture of a life stolen and a family shattered by violence, offering a glimpse into the irreplaceable void left by his death.
Reading out her witness impact statement Craig’s sister, Jade Oram said wanted to share how the cowardly, disgusting actions of one person caused an avalanche of pain—"a pain that will never, ever go away."
"Losing Craig felt like losing my own child," said Mrs Oram, who took care of Craig during his childhood as a big sister.
"Every time I close my eyes, all I can see is my baby brother clinging to life and my other baby brother begging him not to die."
Jade also mourned the future stolen from Craig—a life "cut short before he could walk his daughter down the aisle or see his son off to prom."
"I still can't face the prospect of never seeing his cheeky smile again, or him and his infectious belly laugh."
Craig’s partner, April Gray, who has been left to raise their two children alone, spoke through a statement read by investigation officer Lauran Howard.
She described Craig as the pillar of their family—a man who brought stability, joy, and warmth to their lives.
"Craig was not only my partner but also the devoted father of our two children, who are now forced to grow up without the loving presence of their dad," she said.
"To our children, he was everything—a role model, a protector, and their hero."
Ms Gray shared the joy he brought to everyday moments, from bedtime stories to Sunday morning pancakes.
"He filled our home with laughter and brought a sense of joy and security that made our house a home," she said.
But that home now feels empty and cold, she said, filled instead with questions from their children that she struggles to answer.
"I cannot answer such as 'Where is Daddy? Why did he leave us? Is it because of something we did?' Trying to explain his absence to them has been the hardest thing I've ever had to do."
Amid the grief, Ms Gray holds on to Craig’s memory for their children.
"I keep his photos around the house, tell stories about him, and hold on to his belongings, hoping to give them some sense of connection to the father they adored," she said.
"You took his life, robbed my children of their father, and robbed our family of the love and security we once knew," Ms Gray said, addressing Kenneth Walker, the killer.
"Our grief is unending, and the pain we feel is beyond words. But we deserve justice—not only for Craig but for the future that was stolen from our children."
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