A HEARTBROKEN mum has broken down over her pain at losing her son after he was stabbed to death by his ex's new partner.
Alex Fitzpatrick, 30, was knifed 17 times in the neck and chest by Rob Parkins just moments after he dropped his son back home.
There had been "animosity" between the pair after Parkins, 33, began dating Alex's former partner Kelly Anderson.
Alex's devastated mum Mary has now spoken about her son's death in October 2019 on Channel 4 show 24 Hours in Police Custody.
Sobbing, she tells the documentary: "Alex could probably say some horrible things, everybody in the heat of the moment does.
"He was jealous of the fact someone else was going to look after his son. Alex was worried about Rob as he knew some of his past.
"He was saying he was unstable and didn't want him around his son.
"For three weeks before he was beside himself with worry thinking his son was in a situation he couldn't do anything about."
On October 13, 2019, Alex dropped his son, then aged nine, at Kelly's home after taking him swimming.
He returned to the house shortly after when he released the lad had forgotten his glasses.
But a row broke out between Alex and Parkins, who stabbed the dad repeatedly with a knife in a "brutal, frenzied and sustained attack".
Alex was declared dead at the scene, while Parkins fled shortly after as police launched a manhunt.
The documentary explores Alex's death and how officers tracked Parkins down to his aunt's home almost 80 miles away in North London.
Parkins was charged with murder but claimed he was "not aware" he was holding a knife when he fought with Alex.
CAGED FOR LIFE
But jurors saw through his lies and he was convicted in just over two-and-a-half hours following a trial.
Parkins was jailed for life with a minimum of 19 years in August 2020 for causing "horrendous and unsurvivable injuries" to Alex.
Detective Superintendent Michael Branston, who led the investigation, said: “This was a brutal, frenzied and sustained attack resulting in the death of a man whose son will now grow up without his father in his life.
“What started out as a dispute escalated to such a degree that Alex lost his life from misuse of a knife.
“The vast majority of people don’t carry knives and are never affected by knife crime, however, this show highlights the devastating impact of incidents involving knives which will stay with those around them for the rest of their lives.”
- 24 Hours in Police Custody will air on Channel 4 on Monday at 9pm
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