THE FAMILY of murder victim Jay Jay Taylor have described him as a kind lad who loved life.

In a harrowing statement the family, who attended all of the six-day trial and watched as killer Jack Costello was jailed for life, described how the link to their family chain had been forever broken.

They said: “It has been very hard to find the words to write this statement about our beloved Jay Jay – but also very easy to describe the way he was and the way he just loved life.

“Jay Jay was the ‘boy next door’. He loved life and his life was spent with his family, friends, playing football (as a hobby and for a team) and his beloved Xbox. He spent so much time with his younger sister and younger cousins and did not see looking after them as a chore – as this just came naturally to him.

“As a close-knit family Jay Jay was more like a little brother to his uncles and a son to his nanna and pops. The close age between him and his sister made them more like twins.

“When you needed Jay Jay he was there, no questions asked. He was also due to start a new job the day after his tragic death.

“The effect of Jay Jay’s horrific death on the family has been devastating without him. The link to the family chain has been forever broken. Our family have lost a loving brother, caring uncle, incredible nephew, perfect grandson and one of a kind son.

“Jay Jay’s parents are left without a son – their first born and only son. His sisters left without a brother – their only brother, and uncles without their first nephew. His grandparents left without their first-born grandchild.”

It continues: “Since that night that Jay Jay was cruelly taken from us, our lives have never been the same and even after all the ongoing pain, on top of this, we had to relive every moment through the unnecessary trial.

“Our Jay Jay was murdered, his life stolen, 23 years young. We will never fully be able to come to terms with what has happened. The two men who attacked Jay Jay still have lives – Jay Jay doesn’t.

“There is and always will be a huge hole in our family and all because of two men who think they can behave the way they did that night and get away with it.

“Jay Jay loved life, appreciated it and was deserving of and living a long, happy and healthy life – just at the age to build his own future.

“Jay Jay has lost his life, we have lost our Jay Jay.”