by Danny Boyle

David Reid was left devastated when
his mum was shot dead by a spurned lover when he was aged just
nine.

Now 43, the former security guard
is using his traumatic experience to help the families of murder
and manslaughter victims.

Mr Reid, of Longfellow Road,
Gillingham, has trained as a counsellor for distressed relatives
and is working to set up a support group for Kent.

His mum was murdered outside his
grandmother's house in Nottingham in 1976 aged 28 by former partner
Malcolm Mackenzie.

Having kicked him out of the home
she shared with David when she ended their relationship, he went on
a jealous rampage.

Mackenzie admitted the murder to
police, but was never brought to justice because he was found
hanged in his cell at Lincoln Prison while on remand.

He is said to have told officers:
"If I can't have her, no-one can."

Mr Reid said: "I was only a lad so
my mum's murder affected me deeply. It's something I'm never going
to forget about, but now after all these years I can talk about it
openly.

"I know through personal experience
that talking it through with someone who's been in the same
situation really helps.

"I hope that I will now be able to
do the same for others."

An only child, he was brought up by
his grandmother before moving to the south east aged 21. He has
lived in Medway for the last four years.

Mr Reid is a trained counsellor for SAMM Support After Murder and Manslaughter - and supervises weekend retreats for victims' relatives.

Now a concierge at a London bank,
he wants to set up a local branch of the group and is launching a
fund-raising campaign.

Mr Reid also supports
Liverpool-based victims charity Families Fighting for Justice,
which calls for life-long sentences for murder and tougher
punishments for manslaughter.

• The confidential SAMM helpline is 0845 872 3440.