THE mother of York murder victim Mark Webb has spoken of the grief she still feels every day – one year after her son was fatally stabbed in the throat.

Brian Cox attacked father-of-five Mr Webb, 40, with a Stanley knife in an alleyway in Acomb on March 4 last year, then ran off while his victim bled to death.

Mr Webb’s mother Dianna Atkinson, 67, yesterday said the family marked the first anniversary on Sunday by laying fresh flowers at his grave.

She said: “The family gathered together and we visited York Crematorium where Mark’s ashes are buried. We laid flowers to rest and put up some balloons before going to The Acomb – Mark’s former local – where we had a drink in his memory.

“It went better than we thought – obviously there was quite a bit of apprehension about the day but while we shed a few tears we also had a few laughs as we remembered some of the things Mark got up too.”

Mr Webb’s estranged wife Susan Webb – a girlfriend of Cox – cleaned blood from the scene and lied about what had happened.

Cox was later found guilty of murder and given a life sentence, while Susan Webb was convicted of two counts of perverting the course of justice and jailed for two years.

Ms Atkinson, of Easingwold, said the family’s grief had been intensified by the actions of Mrs Webb, who said nothing about his injuries in a 999 call immediately after the attack, claimed the death was suicide, and lied about it to both police and neighbours.

“It really has been a very difficult year, possibly harder because Susie was involved,” she said.

“Mark’s murderer Brian Cox meant nothing to us – but with Susie it was difficult to bear, especially as it affected her and Mark’s children who are now living with their paternal grandparents.

“It does help that justice has been served and we could not have gone through all that had it not been for the support of North Yorkshire Police, Victim Support and our family liaison officer.

“I still have bad days – but I guess this will happen for the rest of my lifetime. I will feel grief every day. Mark did not deserve what happened to him and not a day goes by where I do not think about him.

“He crosses my mind day or night – sometimes as much as nine times a day – we will always love him and miss him. Now it is just a matter of trying to move on and we are just taking every day as it comes.

“It helps that I still receive messages of condolence even today – the support and care of people really helps.”

Mr Webb’s death meant he never got to see his first grand-child, Jessica-Leigh, who was born a month later. Ms Atkinson said the “beautiful” baby girl is doing well and will celebrate her first birthday next month.