A TEENAGER has been jailed for 17 years after admitting the murder of a man in Dukinfield.
Dylan Keelan was stabbed to death on Cheetham Hill Road on Friday, February 4.
Now Klayton Skelly, 18, has been locked up for the killing after Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court heard the 20-year-old was knifed twice after they got into a fight.
Floral and other tributes were placed next to the Premier Store on Cheetham Hill Road, which was cordoned off immediately after the incident.
And Dylan’s mother, Nicola, described him as: “A lovely, hardworking, kind and respectful boy.”
She added: “He absolutely loved his family and close friends. Dylan will be missed dearly by everyone who had the pleasure to be around him.
“He will never be forgotten and will always be in my heart and part of my life. It is difficult to put into words at this moment as I am broken and distraught.
“I just want to say thank you to everyone for their support, kind words and donations.
“Finally, in Dylan’s own words, ‘Always find a way to turn a negative into a positive’, so let’s all stay strong together.’”
Officers identified Skelly, of Sylvester Way, Hyde, who was 17 at the time, as a suspect less than 40 minutes after the initial 999 call to Greater Manchester Police.
And the pressure of a three-day manhunt led him to hand himself in at his local police station.
Detective Inspector Lee Shaw, of GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: “The thoughts of everyone on the investigation team remain with Dylan’s loved ones.
“No sentence could fix their broken hearts but it is our hope this result gives them a sense of justice and closure.
“Across Greater Manchester, officers are working hard to fight, prevent and reduce knife crime.
“With Dylan’s mum’s blessing, we have released body worn video audio from the night of his death to show the reality of responding to a stabbing and to encourage parents and guardians to talk to young people about the consequences – for victims, offenders and their loved ones.
“I would like to use this opportunity to thank the members of the public and first responders who did everything they could to save Dylan’s life.
“Also, the officers who were first on scene and assisted detectives with bringing this case to court and securing this outcome.”