The mother of Tilehurst youth Sheldon Lewcock has spoken out after his killer was cleared of murder - but found guilty of manslaughter.
Mr Lewcock, 19, was riding a motorcycle with a group of teenagers in Pierces Hill, Tilehurst, on August 4, 2022, when he was run down by a van driven by Ryan Willicombe.
He died at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford five days later.
The prosecution in the case accused Willicombe of intentionally driving into the victim - but a jury cleared him of murder today (May 8) by a majority verdict.
Nevertheless, Willicombe admitted he drove at the group in a bid to 'scare' them, and jurors hence found him guilty on an alternative charge of manslaughter.
Speaking outside Reading Crown Court, Angela Lewcock - Sheldon's mother - stated that the verdict was not "the outcome that we were hoping for."
She paid tribute to her son, telling reporters: "He was a big part of our family. He was funny, outgoing, a bit cheeky - typical teenage boy.
"He was our boy, and we loved him."
In the wake of her son's killing, Angela started 'Shelly's World,' a Facebook page dedicated to memorialising Sheldon and fighting for justice.
She said: "We had to fight for him. No-one else was going to."
After the verdict against Willicombe was read out, Judge Norton told the defendant he was facing "some considerable period of time" in prison, as the killing was an "extremely serious" offence.
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