'I thought they were going to kill me in the same way my son died' - Jack Woodley's mum attacked at son's graveside
by Daniel Hall · ChronicleLive"I thought they were going to kill me in the same way my son died, right by his grave."
Those are the harrowing words of Zoey McGill, who says she was kicked and punched whilst sitting at her son Jack Woodley's grave. Jack, from Newton Aycliffe, was stabbed twice by a group of males aged between 15 and 18 while at the Houghton Feast in Houghton-le-Spring on October 16, 2021.
He was rushed to hospital but died the next day. All 10 teenagers were convicted of murdering Jack following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court in June 2022, and were handed life sentences two months later.
Three years on, Zoey still goes to sit at Jack's final resting place most nights, lighting candles, tending to his grave, and revisiting happy memories of her eldest son. On Halloween, she took pumpkins that Jack's younger brothers Jayden and Jenson had carved specially to decorate the grave.
However, shortly after arriving, her peace was disturbed, with claims that "two cars full of people" arrived, surrounding her at Jack's graveside. She says that the "sickening" assault which followed was the result of the same "pack mentality" which saw her son lose his life.
Zoey told ChronicleLive: "I was approached by one of the group, and shortly after all of them jumped on me. When they were kicking me on the floor, all that went through my head is what happened to Jack.
"I thought they were going to kill me in the same way my son died, right by his grave."
Zoey spent Friday in hospital and suffered muscle damage and bruising to her head, neck and torso. Thankfully, none of her injuries are thought to be serious - though when ChronicleLive spoke to her she remained in a lot of pain.
She continued: "It's affected me more mentally than it has physically. I just can't understand why they did what they did at a boy's grave."
Zoey, who became a mum again 14-weeks-ago to son Ralph, is heartbroken at the alleged attack. And though people in the community have offered to come to the cemetery with her, she feels that her son's grave should be a safe place for her, no matter who she is with.
She said: "I spend a lot of time up there, I spend a lot of money on his grave. The kids did his grave up for the three year anniversary, and the lights were all cut up.
"It's sickening really, it's that pack mentality that needs to be addressed. These people wouldn't do this alone, but they'll do it together, the same as they did to Jack that night.
"Jack's murderers killed him in exactly the same way and it's that pack mentality that the law needs to start stamping down on. I just don't think there's enough sentences passed for this kind of behaviour."
Durham Constabulary confirmed that they had launched an investigation into the alleged assault on Zoey.
A spokesperson for Durham Constabulary said: "Police are investigating an assault which took place at West Cemetery, in School Aycliffe, last Thursday evening (October 31). A woman is believed to have been assaulted by a number of people while visiting the cemetery.
"Thankfully, she is not believed to have suffered any serious injuries. An investigation has been launched and enquiries are ongoing."
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