'I never want anyone else to feel this pain': Leeds mum pays tribute to her son and 'best friend' as 'coward' driver who caused his death is sent to prison

Jo Barik paid tribute to the her 'best friend' Josh Moir-Barik after Paul Morgan was jailed over the fatal crash in East Ardsley, Leeds.Morgan was locked up for six years and eight months after a court heard had never held a driving licence and was behind the wheel of a car fitted with false number plates.

The crash happened as Morgan lost control of the car as he drove at excessive speeds in a bid to get away from police officers.

Morgan ran from the vehicle as 23-year-old Josh was trapped in the passenger seat with serious head and chest injuries.

After Morgan was sentenced at Leeds Crown Crown, Mrs Barik told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "My initial thoughts and that of my family is we are pleased Paul Morgan is off the roads.

"Josh was my best friend, and I struggle to comprehend how I have and will get through my life without my boy.

"Having my daughter, Georgia, and newborn granddaughter, Erin, has so far saved me from the darkest of despair.

"I wake every morning and go to sleep thinking about my boy.

"I hurt unimaginably at the actions Paul Morgan took – he made decisions known to him and he caused the crash and then he ran away, lied and tried to blame my son.

"The investigation and the court process enabled the truth of what really mattered to become public, it showed him to be a liar and Judge Clarke summed Morgan up perfectly - he is a coward.

"Josh is sorely missed by his sister and extended family and no sentence or justice can ever give us what has been taken and those moments in life that Josh will no longer experience with us.

"I would like to give thanks to our family liaison officer, Abby Fox-Greenwood.

"Her continued support had made our lives bearable, she took so much of the strain away from us and became someone we could trust and rely on.

"Josh, as always, my final thoughts are with you. We miss you. We love you and we are proud of you."

Mrs Barik, from Sherburn in Elmet, provided a moving statement to the court which the Judge took into consideration before sentencing 31-year-old Morgan.

The statement read: "Josh was killed in a road traffic collision in July 2019. From that day life changed forever.

"There are no more phone calls where he talks forever about things big and small, when I talk back and he tells me 'I'm busy mum, can't chat' even though he's been talking for 30 minutes.

"Pretty much every day Josh rang me and without fail he would say 'I love you' even if his friends were in the car or he was with them.

"He didn't have any shame in telling me he loved me or that I was his best mate.

"All his friends knew how close we were and he would say things like 'if anything happens to me, look after my mum.'"

Mrs Barik went on to describe the emotional anguish Josh's family continue to suffer.

"The pain at losing Josh is indescribable, it physically hurts every day.

"I feel that I am constantly waiting to be with him again, and the grief is worse now than when it first happened.

"But I think that is because in the early stages you are processing and planning. Now I want answers.

"Some I will never get but that doesn't stop me wanting them.

"I want the driver to be sorry but I know that anything now would not be genuine.

"But above all, I want my son back."

Mrs Barik described how Josh had a bright future after setting up his own gardening business and was hoping to specialise in landscaping.

She said: "He looked professional, he was confident, he knew his craft and he was sensible.

"He learnt that by working hard he had options and opportunities - he loved it.

"All I can do now to honour his dreams is turn his photo round so he too can see the garden.

"I have an overwhelming sense of feeling broken. Broken that the decisions made on that fateful night took it all away from him.

"I never want anyone else to feel this pain. But it is good to know other people that do because it stops you feeling like you are alone.

"At first I felt guilty for 'getting on' with life. But what else can I do? I have a daughter. I now have a granddaughter and while that should have been a moment filled with joy, part of it was robbed.

"Josh will never get to meet his niece and while we can tell her, and I do tell her, about her uncle, it's another brutal reminder that he is no longer here."

Mrs Barik also described her son's caring nature, stating: "Josh was the life and soul of many experiences.

"We used to go on holidays together with my dad and they would be double trouble.

"He was always thinking of others and could be easily led.

"Josh would always 'go with the flow' and would be protective of anyone, even if he didn't know them that well.

"But he would never hurt anyone or go out to hurt anyone.

"He hated violence and was a friend to many. That has been a comfort."

The statement went on to describe how the events of the night of her son's death still to haunt her.

"What has been a recurring struggle for me is why he was in that car that night?

"I know all of Josh's friends and he has never mentioned Paul Morgan to me, ever.

"Why if there was an issue didn't he just stop for the police. Why did he leave him?

"Why wasn't Josh's life important to him?

"I was with Josh when he died. That is a moment I will never be able to forget.

"I can only describe it as an out of body experience. I am there. He is there. And then he isn't.

"His chest lowered and the machine stopped.

"I was laid on him with his baby blanket and then that is when he was gone.

"I don't get to see him or touch him ever again.

"I don't get to hear 'I love you mum' anymore.

"I look back now and cannot believe or even begin to understand how we organised and completed his funeral.

"I have videos of us all releasing balloons for him, his favourite colours red and blue. There were so many people, so many balloons. It was heartbreakingly beautiful.

"I brought his baby blanket away with me. It brings me comfort and I take it everywhere with me."

Finally, Mrs Barik spoke of the upset and frustration her family went through as Josh's death was investigated.

The statement reads: "It is almost like the driver knows more than we do and it is us who have suffered the most and continue to suffer.

"At no time has Morgan ever reached out to us as a family through anyone - the police, friends, family, social media.

"He has never shown remorse for his actions.

"I don't want an apology now. It's too little, too late.

"My biggest fear, the nightmare that I have over and over again is that he continues to drive.

"I find this an unbearable fear to manage at times because I am scared he will kill someone else."