A heartbroken mother whose son died after being stabbed in the street says she has been left “sickened” by the theft of items from his grave.

Dean Brown, 18, was killed by a single knife wound to his heart in the attack in East Street,
Sittingbourne, in September 1992.

His devastated mother Heather, who visits her son’s final resting place in the town’s cemetery, off Capel Road, at least once a week, noticed things started going missing in the summer.

The thefts of floral tributes from family and friends have continued ever since and the 66-year-old even resorted to leaving a note, warning whoever is responsible to keep away.

“It’s never been touched before but these last six months it’s not stopped,” she said.

“I feel sick in the stomach, really sickened. I cannot imagine how anyone could do it.

"When I was younger we used to pick bluebells to put on people’s graves that did not have any flowers, not steal from them.”

The first theft was in the summer when plants down one side and across the bottom were taken.

In September, five bouquets carefully placed in red pots, the colour of Dean’s beloved Liverpool Football Club, were stolen.

And, last month, red silk roses put in a week before what would have been his birthday, November 26, went missing.

Despite the string of thefts, Heather said she did not think her son’s plot was being specifically targeted.

“One grave away, for an elderly lady, her plants went missing. Another just across the walkway had red begonias and that was stripped. And I’ve heard about others, too.”

Dean, who went to St John’s, now SCC, was one of six children of Heather and her husband Michael, with four brothers and a sister. “He had lots of friends. He was quiet but smiley, always smiling. He loved his football and snooker,” said Heather, who has lived in Elm Grove, Sittingbourne, for 50 years and has 18 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

A man was charged with his murder but later cleared and no one has ever been convicted of causing Dean’s death.

She added: “He did not die of an illness, nor in an accident; someone took his life. It’s something we will never get over.”

A spokesman for Swale council, which manages the cemetery, said steps had been taken to clamp down on thefts.

The statement said: “We are aware of this problem and have been monitoring the situation with our contractors and have been in contact with police. We have placed signs in the cemetery warning visitors to be vigilant.”

Anyone who sees anyone acting suspiciously or has information about thefts is asked to call police by telephoning 101.