THE broken parents of murder victim Glyn Helliwell have paid tribute to their “sensitive and soft” son.

Susan and Derek Helliwell attended every day of the trial and say their son’s senseless killing has devastated their close-knit family.

The 6ft 6in gentle giant died after being stabbed by stranger Jake Brand in Bournemouth’s Parkwood Road in the early hours of July 6 last year.

He had spent the evening socialising with friends at the Grove pub in Southbourne before making his way home when he was followed by Brand and attacked.

This family picture kindly released to the Daily Echo shows the Bistro on the Beach chef meeting celebrity chef Phil Vickery at a seminar in 2004 after winning a competition for his menu choice.

Glyn, 42, was born in Truro in Cornwall and Susan said he dreamed of becoming a chef as a young boy and loved baking at home.

“He was always in the kitchen baking with me and when he was tiny he would ask ‘can we make a cake’?”

Derek added: “That’s why they were so close because Susan also likes cooking.”

In 1982, Derek suffered an injury at work and, together with Glyn’s younger brothers Neil and Ross, the family moved to Bournemouth.

Susan said: “Ever since Glyn was little he wanted to be a chef and he had heard Bournemouth had a very good reputation for catering college.

“At that particular time we had to look for something else to earn a living. We thought we would go into some holiday accommodation and move up here so Glyn would be able to go to Bournemouth catering college.”

When the family first moved to Bournemouth, Glyn attended Portchester School to finish his schooling before leaving in 1984 at the age of 16 to become a chef.

He trained for three years, gaining work experience at a number of hotels and establishments in the resort.

Once Glyn completed his studies, he moved to London to work at a hotel before moving on to other hotels in Jersey.

It was then that Glyn caught the “travelling bug” and joined forces with a chef from the QE2 to work as first and second chefs at restaurants around the country.

Glyn had been working at the Bistro on the Beach for three years when he died – the longest time he had stayed at any one restaurant.

Speaking of their kind-hearted son, Susan said: “He was not only a son – he was a best mate.

“Glyn was one of those people who when he made a friend, he made a friend for life. We were so proud of him.”

Derek added: “We used to share hobbies. One night we would play skittles and another night ten-pin bowling. It was great.”

Glyn spent his spare time socialising with friends after work, although Derek said he seldom went out on days off.

Speaking about Glyn’s tragic death, Susan said: “It has just devastated our family.”

Derek added: “We thought we were getting over it but when the trial started it was worse than ever.

“You would spend all day listening to it and then spend all evening talking to each other about it.

“You cannot shut it out. It’s terrible.”

Speaking about Brand, Derek added: “The people who do this sort of thing are not normal, there is something radically wrong with them.”

Susan added: “We don’t move in those circles so you don’t realise that these people are out there.

“Glyn was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

The couple paid tribute to the many people who paid their last respects to Glyn.

Susan said: “We were overwhelmed with the number of people who came to the funeral. We didn’t realise how well-liked he was.”

And Derek vowed to visit Glyn’s regular, The Railway, to buy all those who attended the funeral a drink.

Susan added: “We would like to say our thanks to the police and to those witnesses who have come forward and given evidence in this case.”