Parents of teenage murder victim hit out at cruel trolls who sent them mocking messages on social media

Emma and Phil Dix shared their pain of being trolled online following the death of their son Joe who was stabbed seven times after being called to help take on a rival gang

The parents of a teenage murder victim have slammed trolls who bombarded them with offensive social media messages mocking his death.

Grieving Emma and Phil Dix lost their son Joe after he was stabbed seven times after being called to help confront three rival gang members who attempted to burgle a flat. The 18-year-old's killers saw him before he got there, however, and chased him down the street in Mile Cross, Norwich, before stabbing him to death in January 2022.

He was a member of a street gang known as the Third Side and his killers - who were all jailed for life last October - were part of rival gang Only The Money. Earlier this month a teenager was convicted of a malicious communications offence for one particular post written as if it was from Joe.

The message was one of a number that were part of the ongoing rivalry and said: "Dad I'm sorry I wasn't meant for this road life. I got killed but I was fat and couldn't run". Mrs Dix, 48, said it was one of a number they received in the weeks after his murder and "one of the hardest" to deal with.

She added: "It was only a few weeks after Joe's funeral. We're dealing with one massive thing and get hit with something else. That was just out of order. I'm pleased it got taken to court. It shows it's not acceptable. We didn't expect him to get much of a punishment but the fact he had to go to court was enough."

Mrs Dix said they received similar messages from several people, including one girl. She added: "The police tell you that's what people do but people think it's acceptable - it's wrong. You've always got it on the back of your mind." The 17-year-old who sent the message - who was 15 at the time - cannot be named for legal reasons. He appeared at Norwich Youth Court earlier this month where he admitted the malicious communications offence.

The teen was made the subject of a four month youth referral order, which aims to prevent re-offending by making youngsters aware of the impact of their crimes. Last October, Hans Beeharry, 20, Benjamin Gil, 19, and Cameron Palmer, 19, were jailed for more than 60 years after they were found guilty of Joe's murder.

A friend of Joe's at the property - which was being used as part of a county lines drug dealing operation - called him to tell him the flat was being robbed. Joe left his flat to intervene but was chased off by the rival gang and stabbed in the street.

Chilling video released by police after his murder trial showed him being chased by his killers wielding a knife moments before his death. Phil and Emma, from Salhouse, Norfolk, have since set up the Joe Dix Foundation - a charity aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of knives and knife crime - in memory of their son.