THE mother of a 23-year-old man fatally stabbed with a champagne flute has launched a petition in a bid to stop her son's murderer being freed sooner.

In August 2018 father-of-four Jack James Costello was jailed for life and told he would serve a minimum of 19 years before he is eligible for parole after being found guilty of murdering Jason 'Jay Jay' Livesey Taylor, at the former Esco-Bar in Darwen.

Last month Lord Justice James Dingemans, sitting with Mrs Justice Elisabeth Laing and Judge Mark Wall QC, threw out 46-year-old Costello’s appeal against conviction but granted him leave to appeal against the length of the sentence imposed by Recorder of Preston Judge Mark Brown QC, in August 2018.

Jay Jay's mother, Vicky Taylor, has now launched a petition calling for High Court judge's to reject Costello's appeal to reduce his minimum term and ensure he serves his sentence in full.

In the petition Ms Taylor called on the public to stand together and 'ensure that this example of evil is not able to furnish the streets of the UK with his existence and undoubtedly bring about further pain and suffering to other innocents and their families'.

Ms Taylor said the grief and pain felt following the horrific killing of Jay Jay, a loving son, brother, grandson, uncle, nephew, boyfriend, cousin and friend was indescribable.

She said the slight relief felt following Costello's conviction and sentencing has been replaced by 'further anguish and torment as he proceeds to appeal his sentence from every avenue available to him'.

Calling on the public to sign the petition, Ms Taylor said: "We ask that you stand with the family of Jay Jay Livesey Taylor and sign this petition to ensure that Mr Costello serves his sentence in full and in a facility befitting to his crime. We ask that you assist us with stopping this monster, even from his prison cell, causing further trauma and tribulation to an already devastated, heartbroken family. We ask that you support the statement of ‘Life Means Life."

Costello, formerly of Victoria Street, Rishton, is currently only eligible to apply for parole in August 2037. The sentence appeal is expected to be heard later this year.

Costello pleaded guilty at the start of his trial to manslaughter but always denied murdering Jay Jay.

His Preston Crown Court trial heard how Jay Jay died in hospital following the brutal attack in the early hours of January 28, 2018.

The victim had had words with Kayle Smith on the night in question.

Jurors heard Jay Jay had been talking to a friend of a friend, Zoe Broadhurst, at the bar before Smith leaned in and said: “Aren’t you too good to be talking to him?”

Jay Jay did not react to that comment, but the court heard 32-year-old Smith headbutted him.

Moments later Smith spoke with Costello, who approached the younger man and put his arm around his neck.

Costello first bit the ear of Jay Jay, for around six seconds, while those nearby attempted to intervene.

Then Costello thrust a glass champagne flute into his victim’s neck, severing his jugular vein, the court heard.

As Jay Jay collapsed, Costello threw the stem of the glass at him, prosecutors said, before he brawled with approaching door staff.

Jailing the killer, Judge Brown said: “This was undoubtedly unprovoked violence of the worst kind and it ended in the death of a relatively young and wholly innocent man who was doing no harm to anybody.”

Smith was later jailed for 16 months for assaulting Jay Jay.

Prior to the attack, Costello had jailed three previous times for arson, drug dealing and burglary.

l To sign the petition visit https://bit.ly/2SH87CW