The mother of a footballer stabbed to death on a nightclub dancefloor said knife crime is “ruining so many lives” and that she fears the sentencing of her son’s killers will not act as a deterrent for other young people.

Tracey Fisher, who has not been able to attend the trial of her son’s killers because she could not bear to face them, spoke outside Birmingham Crown Court after Remy Gordon and Kami Carpenter were jailed on Monday.

She said it had been a “long and harrowing road” to get justice for her “beautiful boy”, Cody Fisher, who was murdered on the dancefloor at the Crane nightclub in Digbeth on Boxing Day 2022.

Speaking to the media, supported by Cody’s father, Christian Fisher, Ms Fisher said while it was a “blessing” his killers are no longer on the streets, she felt that sentences for carrying knives needed to be harsher.

When asked what message they had for a young person who wanted to carry a knife, she said: “They are weak, pathetic cowards, and they will ruin so many lives.”

She said: “Hopefully this will go some way to try and eradicate this awful epidemic that is ruining so many lives.

“Sadly, not all have been brought to account today, but they know who they are.

“For us as a family, Cody will still not come home and we will forever live in the shadow of his senseless murder.

“I know that our grief will go on and we will continue with our life sentence, missing our child each and every day.

“I will mention with many thanks the police and the legal team for their determination during the investigation and for apprehending those responsible.

“Our beautiful boy lost his life to knife crime, for no reason at all.”