THE mother of a murdered man wants to meet his killer.

John Williams, 46, admitted the murder of lodger John Stokes, 33, at his house in Bedwellty Road, Cefn Fforest, Blackwood, on February 3.

After yesterday’s hearing at Cardiff Crown Court, Mr Stokes' mother Rita O'Brien, 57, said: "I just need to see him face to face once, to ask why he did it."

One of the most painful things about her son's murder was, she said, the lack of any apparent reason for the brutal death his landlord inflicted on him.

"It's very difficult to accept," she said. "I need to satisfy my mind. I also want to say to him, you're sitting here and my son is gone. All we have left is the cemetery."

She has asked her lawyers to request a meeting with Williams and is now waiting for a response.

Mrs O'Brien said: "I couldn't even tell my mother, who is 87, for three weeks after he died, as she was in hospital at the time and we were afraid the news might kill her."

John Stokes had only been lodging with Williams for six days before he was killed.

The father-of-four worked as a baker in Blackwood and, his mother said, loved his work. She added: "He was a nice, handsome boy, and very thoughtful and generous."

He never met his fourth child, Chelsea, who was born at the end of April this year - almost three months after his murder.

Mrs O'Brien, from Bargoed, added: "You don't think your children will die before you. If he had been ill or if it had been an accident it might have been easier to accept.

"But his death was horrendous and deliberate.

"I looked into the face of that man (Williams) in court and all I could see was evil."

Prosecutor Gregg Taylor QC told Cardiff crown court that Williams telephoned police and said "I’ve killed my friend John, he is upstairs on the landing".

Police control contacted him and he said: "It was an argument that got heated last night, I beat him."

The court heard evidence that Mr Stokes had been dead all night when he was discovered. There was evidence of "a series of violent acts" and Mr Stokes had been "fighting for his life".

The cause of death, said Mr Taylor, were injuries to the head and neck that caused obstruction of the airway, and the stab wound to the chest causing bleeding into the chest.

The court heard Williams had an extensive record for offences of violence and well as arson and affray.

Williams' counsel David Aubrey QC said: "Nothing can justify what he did and he recognises that. He has expressed remorse which is reflected in his guilty plea."

The pair, he said, had had a heated argument and Mr Aubrey claimed Mr Stokes had beaten the defendant’s hand.

The judge said: "I don’t accept there was any provocation to explain your behaviour. You lost your temper as you so often have done in the past.

"You are at the moment a very dangerous man."

He directed that he be on licence for the rest of his life.