THE campaign for justice for Stourbridge footballer Ryan Passey who was stabbed to death at Chicago's has been given a boost with the launch of a new official website.

Friends and family of 24-year-old Ryan, from Quarry Bank, have been working hard in their fight for justice for the popular mid-fielder who was killed in August 2017 after Kobe Murray from Dudley, who admitted the stabbing, walked free from court in February 2018 after what's been dubbed a "perverse verdict".

They have organised charity events, co-ordinated a huge online petition as well as launching an online JustGiving donation page and launching a range of Justice for Ryan merchandise to help fund a legal fight which calls for families affected by so-called perverse verdicts, where a defendant is acquitted contrary to evidence presented in court, to be given the right of appeal.

Stourbridge businessman Jason Connon originally launched the Justice for Ryan campaign on Facebook but he said the new website www.justiceforryan.org, created by Stourbridge filmmaker and website designer Kyle Pedley, would provide a "huge step towards helping us raise the awareness of our campaign nationally".

He added: "I would like to say on behalf of Ryan’s parents and everyone at Justice For Ryan, a massive heartfelt thank you to Kyle Pedley, who has worked tirelessly to build our new campaign website."

Mr Pedley added: "Being Stourbridge-based, I was directly aware of the pain and shock Ryan's tragedy sent through the community, and I wanted to help out in whatever way I could.

"Building Ryan's family and friends a website for their campaign for free was my way of giving to the cause, which I think continues to be a hugely important one."