A GRIEVING mother has paid tribute to her “beautiful, funny, loyal” daughter after she was stabbed to death last year.
Toni Butler, 25, died after being stabbed twice in the leg last June 10.
Keegan Barnes, from Thornaby, near Stockton, was found guilty of the manslaughter of Toni Butler following a trial and was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison at Teesside Crown Court today (Monday).
Read more: Thornaby's Keegan Barnes jailed after killing Toni Butler
The full circumstances around Toni Butler’s death are unclear but Teesside Crown Court heard how Ms Butler bled to death due to the severity of her injuries.
In a moving statement read out in court the victim’s mother Michelle Butler said her “broken” family would never recover from Toni’s death, who was a “role model” to her siblings.
Read the statement in full below:
“She was beautiful, funny, loyal. She had a heart of gold and would do anything for anyone. Toni’s younger siblings are simply destroyed and totally lost without their older sister and role model. Toni always looked out for her younger siblings and protect them.
“They are all broken without her. It breaks my heart that I cannot do anything to help them, as to be honest I don’t know how to help myself. I feel guilty that I am still her and she’s gone.
“It’s not natural for my child to be gone before me. I would swap places with her in a heartbeat. I no longer live a life anymore.
“I basically function and survive for my remaining children. All our family are totally devastated, as are Toni’s huge network of friends.
“Toni was such a massive presence in the lives of people that knew her. The void that has been left by her being gone will never be filled. My baby is simply irreplaceable and uniquely beautiful, both inside and out.
“Her death was completely avoidable and senseless. You never think that something so tragic will happen to your family. But it has and now we have to try and survive a life that Toni has been denied.
“As Toni’s mum I know exactly when my child came into this world: 8th of August 1995 at exactly 7.55am. But due to the horrific circumstances surrounding her death myself and her family will never know exactly what time she left this world or how long she suffered for and that is going to haunt us for the rest of our lives.
“Toni’s death has destroyed so many people. She was so loved by everyone who knew her.”
After the hearing, Cleveland Police and the Crown prosecution Service (CPS) also reacted to the sentencing.
Senior Investigating Officer, Chief Inspector Peter Carr, said: “Today, Keegan Barnes has today received a custodial sentence for killing Toni Marie Butler.
“Throughout the course of both the investigation and trial, Keegan Barnes has denied any responsibility and shown no remorse for her actions. After fatally injuring Toni she attempted to destroy key evidence by cleaning up and lied to attending emergency services to avoid justice.
“This case should again highlight that the use of knives to cause injury ruins lives. Toni Butler was a young female who had a whole life ahead of her and was loved by both family and friends.
“Throughout the investigation and subsequent trial the family have shown great dignity and resolve. I would like to commend them for the bravery they have shown.”
Chris Atkinson, head of the Crown Court Unit at CPS North East, said: “From the point at which she killed Toni Butler, Keegan Barnes has made every effort to hide what she had done. While her friend lay dying, Barnes’ primary concern appears to have been one of self-preservation, attempting to dispose of key evidence rather than calling for emergency services.
“When police were finally called, Keegan Barnes began spinning a web of lies with the sole aim of minimising her own involvement in Toni’s death. She persevered with this account throughout multiple police interviews, even in the face of significant evidence secured as part of the excellent police investigation.
“For our part, the Crown Prosecution Service has pieced together the large volumes of digital, eyewitness, medical and CCTV evidence to build a strong case against Barnes. Over the course of her trial we have used this evidence to raise an increasing number of questions about Barnes’ story, for which she has been unable to provide any satisfactory answer. With her conviction for manslaughter, her account of events has been exposed as a complete fabrication and she must now finally accept that she alone caused the death of Toni Butler.”
Read more: CCTV shows killer Keegan Barnes after fatal Toni Butler attack
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