Gypsy Queen Sheffield: Friends of murder victim Coley Byrne issue plea to put down knives

They spoke out after Coley Byrne, aged in his 20s, was fatally stabbed when violence flared at the Gypsy Queen in Beighton on Boxing Day.

Bottles and glasses were reportedly thrown inside the pub before trouble spilled outside onto the car park.

Coley was seriously injured in the fracas and was taken to hospital but could not be saved.

His killer remains at large this morning.

Meanwhile, devastated pals have revealed that Coley was a good friend of another man from Sheffield who was stabbed to death earlier this year.

Photos of Coley and murder victim Ricky Collins, 31, have been shared on social media sites showing the two friends together and urging people to stop carrying blades.

Ricky was killed in March this year when Bradley Ward, 24, of Frecheville, Sheffield, pulled up in a car alongside the Sheffield dad’s van in Killamarsh, got out and stabbed him.

Ward, 24, was found guilty of murder following a three-week trial and is to be sentenced next month.

The trial heard Ward reportedly went out looking for Ricky to seek revenge over an earlier incident that day.

Sharing a photo of murder victims Coley and Ricky together, Bruse Trotter posted on Facebook: “Two of my mates gone this year because people think it’s clever to carry knives.

“Going to miss ya boys.”

Sharing the same photo, Benny Stubbs posted: “RIP Coley Ripbrad Byrne, one of my good friends gone yet again to a cowardly good for nowt.”

Julie Caroll added: “Absolutely tragic, heartbreaking to the core. These knife crimes really need to stop. Whether educating youths or tough sentences, something needs to be done.”

DCI Mick Hakin, the officer leading the investigation, said: “We are looking to speak to anyone who may have been in the Gypsy Queen at the time and who may have seen anything that can help us determine exactly what happened which led to the death of a young man.”

Anyone with information should call South Yorkshire Police on 101 and quote incident number 845 of December 26. Crimestoppers can also be contacted on 0800 555111.