Yahoo News Heartbroken mum of Newcastle teen stabbed to death 'felt sick' as she washed her boy's hat and blood poured out
Eighteen months after her precious son died in her arms, tortured Dionne Barrett unexpectedly found herself washing blood out of his clothes in her kitchen sink.
Gordon Gault was just 14 years old when he was stabbed with a machete during a violent clash in Newcastle's West End. He died in hospital six days later. Since his death, in November 2022, Gordon's mum, Dionne, has struggled to cope with the agony of losing her boy daily.
The 38-year-old had hoped to find some comfort when police were finally able to return Gordon's belongings to her last month. But instead she was faced with yet another painful reminder that her son was gone when she washed the hat Gordon had been wearing on the night he died and saw blood in her sink.
And today Dionne has shared that horrifying moment with ChronicleLive in a bid to warn others of the agony carrying knives can cause.
She said: "It just hit us all over again and I just thought; 'I'm standing here washing the blood out my bairn's hat'. That's the reality of carrying knives that I want people to know about."
Gordon was stabbed when a fight broke out near Elswick Park on the evening of November 9, 2022. Newcastle Crown Court heard how the the terrifying weapon sliced through his arm, causing him to bleed so heavily he suffered severe brain damage.
Gordon was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle where he spent six days in intensive care before passing away in Dionne’s arms.
Six teenagers stood trial for Gordon’s murder, but all were cleared of the charge in January, with Carlos Neto and Lawson Natty being convicted of manslaughter. Neto, 18, of Salford, Greater Manchester, was jailed for nine years and two months and Natty, of Newbiggin Hall, for two years and eight months.
With all investigations and court proceedings over, Northumbria Police returned a box of Gordon's possessions to Dionne at the end of last month. Among the items were the black trainers and hat Gordon had been wearing when he left home for the final time.
And Dionne decided to wash Gordon's hat after his older brother Jack said he would like to wear it.
"When I got it it back I couldn't see any blood on it," she explained. "My Jack said; 'Mam I'll have the hat, will you wash it and I'll wear it?
"I put the hat in the sink, and I saw the blood coming out of it.
"I had to stand back and I started to feel dizzy. I just wasn't expecting to see that. That was horrendous. In that moment I felt sick. I had to stand against the bench."
Since Gordon died, Dionne has been determined to tell others of the dangers of carrying knives in the hope that she can prevent more young lives from being taken. And she hopes others will look at the pictures of Gordon's belongings and think twice before leaving their homes with a blade.
"I hope someone looks at all I have left of Gordon and leaves their knife at home," she said. "Or a parent checks their child’s room tonight to make sure they're not hiding a knife."
