He was a devoted hard-working dad whose life was taken with such violence his loved ones are still struggling to comprehend it.

Good Samaritan Sheldon Flanighan was killed when Toby Kelly drove over him with his van in a pub carpark after the off-duty ambulance worker tried to help when trouble flared in the bar.

Kelly was jailed for life with a minimum of 28 years earlier this month after a jury convicted him of murdering Sheldon and attempting his friend Wayne Common.

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And after seeing the killer locked-up members of Sheldon's family have told of their horror at hearing the horrific details of his death, as they pay tribute to the dad who would do anything for his kids.

His former partner, Nicola, said: "The worst bit is there was no reason for it at all. Sheldon wasn't a trouble maker or anything like that.

"He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's hard to get your head around it."

Sheldon grew-up in Ashington and met Nicola, from Walkergate in Newcastle, when they were both on separate holidays in Benidrom. After hitting it off straight away they started seeing each other when they returned home.

Sheldon had been in the process of buying a house in Ashington when the relationship started. But he quickly decided to rent the property out so he could live with Nicola in Newcastle.

"It was a whirlwind," the 45-year-old said. "He was just one of the lads, he loved going out, loved golf and loved his dogs."

Soon after the couple's son Joe was born. And Sheldon, who already had an older son called Calvin, doted on both his boys, Nicola said.

Nicola and Sheldon separated just before the Covid pandemic hit and Sheldon moved into his Ashington house. Joe decided to live with his dad, but his parents remained close friends and Sheldon was still a big part of Nicola's family.

Joe, 16, said: "All he cared about was me and Calvin. He was always there for us."

And Nicola said Sheldon was a brilliant dad to their son.

"He would tell him off like a dad, but he was still very much like a friend to him," she said. "He was always laughing. He didn't take life too seriously.

When Nicola was diagnosed with breast cancer soon after they split Sheldon was by her side and supported her as she received treatment. In the weeks before the murder, in April, Nicola had been planning a family holiday in Dubai for the summer. And Sheldon, 55, was going to join her half way through the trip to surprise Joe.

He had even phoned his former partner and suggested they got married, just days before he was killed, Nicola said.

"He was still very much part of the family," she said. "He had asked me to marry him before he died. What would of happened is something I will never know."

Sheldon's future was senselessly snatched away on April 1. He had gone to The Bay Horse pub in Cramlington with Wayne for food and a quiet drink, as they did often. .

"We had just spoken to him at 8pm on that night," said Nicola. "He went there most Saturdays for his tea. Joe was normally there with him."

But tragically Kelly, from Blyth, had also decided to go to the usually quiet family-friendly bar that night. Newcastle Crown Court heard how the 38-year-old got into a scuffle with his girlfriend, Shannon Wooden, during which she was dragged across the pub floor.

Sheldon and Wayne took exception to violence being used on a woman and made their feelings clear to Kelly, the jury was told. They ended up outside the pub in the car park, seemingly trying to stop drunk Kelly leaving in his van.

But he would not be stopped and was willing to do anything to get away – including deliberately reversing his large Ford Transit over Sheldon and then driving back over his prone body, causing catastrophic and fatal injuries.

Kelly, of Wansbeck Avenue, also drove over Wayne, causing serious injuries in the attack, which happened just before 10pm. Nicola and Joe discovered Sheldon had died when police turned up at their home during the early hours of the morning.

"They just said there had been an incident and that he had lost his life," said Nicola. "That's all they said at that point."

But the horrific details of the murder were eventually revealed during the long and harrowing crown court trial.

"We were at the court case every day," said Nicola. "it was something Joe wanted to do. He was his dad and he wanted to know what happened to him. But it wasn't easy. It was emotionally draining. It was horrific."

"When you are sitting in the court room you are not allowed to have a reaction, but we just wanted to scream."

After seeing Kelly jailed Joe and Nicola and now preparing to face their first Christmas without Sheldon, who loved the festive season. And they have been comforted by Sheldon's colleagues from the North East Ambulance Service, including Nicola Hunter who has set-up an online fundraising page to raise money for his sons.

"The ambulance service have been absolutely amazing," said Nicola. "Nicola worked on the road with him every day. She's been amazing."