Mother of boy murdered in unprovoked attack in North Lanarkshire says knife crime appears to be getting worse

At first glance, Conner Cowper’s bedroom looks like that of any other 18-year-old boy.

School certificates hang on the walls, bottles of aftershave and cans of deodorant sit on the dresser, and immaculate trainers lie beside the bed.

Conner’s mum Linda is meticulous about keeping the space tidy, and maintaining a sense of calm within it.

For her, it is home to precious memories of her “clever and gentle” son.

Conner was murdered in an unprovoked knife attack in Holytown, North Lanarkshire, in April 2018.

He had gone out with friends to a house party – something Linda says wasn’t particularly common for him.

Speaking to Scotland Tonight, she said: “He was in more than he was out. I think they just get a bit wiser [as they get older]. But as I say, he was sitting on his computer, and a couple of his friends were here. I don’t even know why, he’d been talking to a girl online, and they ended up getting a taxi.”

Neither Conner nor Linda could have predicted what would happen that night.

Linda said: “It was about 12 o’clock, it was his wee brother’s mum that called me, and told me that he’d been stabbed in the neck.”

“She’s ripped our hearts right out”

Conner’s killer, Jolene Doherty, then aged just 17, had a well-known history of violence.

She was sentenced to 16 years in prison for what the judge called the “deliberate, brutal, unprovoked and entirely murderous” attack.

Linda says her son would never have expected to be confronted with a knife.

“[Doherty] was trying to play boys off each other. Conner wasn’t silly, and he had a few close friends that were girls, and he just told her you’re a stupid wee girl, a stupid wee lassie, something like that. And she turned round, lifted the knife… right in his neck, one blow, 11 centimetres into the wean’s neck.

“He was just an innocent laddie. If it wasn’t Conner that night, it would have been somebody else. It would, without a doubt. Without a doubt.”

Conner’s devastated grandmother Janet has been unable to return to work since his death.

She said: “She’s ripped all our hearts right out. It shouldn’t have happened. No young person, but everytime the news is on there’s somebody. She’s taken our boy.”

Conner’s loved ones say seeing other young people fall victim to knife crime is a constant reminder of what they have gone through.

“I’m glad I don’t have any more kids because I’d not even let them out to play, never mind growing up”, Linda said.

“It looks as if it’s getting worse. When we were younger, [carrying a knife] wouldn’t have even crossed your head. That’s the scary thing, 13-year-olds [are doing it]. Are they brought up differently to how we’ve all been brought up? I don’t know.”

“Even (when I’m) walking the dogs, if you come across young ones you avoid them. I would never have done that. Years ago, you would have blethered away to the younger ones. It’s changed days now, I don’t know what’s going on. It’s scary.”

For Janet, watching her other two teenage grandsons grow up is now a major source of stress.

“It’s just a constant worry when they go out. I pray every night.”

When asked what she thinks needs to change, to prevent more tragedies in the future, Linda said tougher action is needed on knife crime.

“Big changes are going to need to be made somewhere along the line. I know people are getting arrested, getting jailed, but nothing seems to be working. They’re saying if you get caught with a knife you’re going to get so many years in jail, but is that happening? I don’t know.”

Whether any changes are made, they will come too late for Conner’s family.

But they are determined his death will not be in vain.

“I just keep saying he’s coming back. That’s what’s keeping me here. He’s coming back. No family should need to go through this”, said Janet.

Linda added: “He’ll never be forgotten. He’ll no let us forget him anyway.”

Watch the full report, Scotland Tonight: Growing up with Gangs, tonight at 8:30pm on STV and the STV Player.