The charge should have been murder said the mother of stabbing victim Jermaine (Red) Pitcher after one of his killers received a 12 year sentence on a manslaughter charge yesterday.

Mr. Pitcher's mother Goldie O'Neill told The Royal Gazette that people in the community have been kicking up a storm as details of her son's death emerged over the course of the manslaughter trial of Keniel Alfred Ingham.

"They knew what they were doing to my son," Mrs. O'Neill said of the three men now convicted of killing Red - Ryan (Tiger) Ball, Jamal (Knolly) Robinson and Ingham. This should have been murder, not manslaughter.

"They murdered my son. That's what they did."

"I waited 18 months to find out the truth of what went on with this," she said. "I knew it was three of them.

"If it had been just two Jermaine could have handled them. If it had been just (Tiger) Ball, he could have handled him."

While pleased with the 12 year sentence Ingham received for his part in the bloodbath, the victim's mother and her supporters said Ball should have received a harsher sentence as well.

"Tiger Ball knew what he was doing when he pleaded guilty," supporter Vanessa Paynter said. "He knew he couldn't face (a trial) because he knew what it was all about."

And the victim's mother issued a plea to the community, through the media gathered to stop the violence - particularly with weapons.

"All these guys want to do is take a knife and kill people and its the parents that end up feeling it most of all," said Mrs. O'Neill.

"I don't get to see my son. He won't be here to see his niece grow up. Stop the fighting. Be a man and fight with your hands if you have to because you can be friends again after.

She added: "They (the killers) say they are sorry. Sorry isn't going to bring back the people that have been killed. I miss my son. He was very close to me."

And Mrs. O'Neill asked why Police had not responded to the bloody fight outside the late night bar earlier.

"In the beginning someone called the Police when Shane (Fox) was injured," she said of Mr. Pitcher's half brother who was also injured in the fight outside the late night bar. " (Police) weren't fast enough. When they got there it was too late."

As of result of her son's death, Mrs. O'Neill said she will now be more vigilant when she encounters violence in the community.

"If I'm out and I see a fight, I will try and stop a fight," she said. "It could have been anyone's child."