Tributes have been paid to a 24-year-old Whitehaven man who was found dead in Newcastle last week.
Jason Brockbanks, a student at Northumbria University, was found in an apartment in the city and a man has appeared in court charged with his murder.
While there has been no official identification, friends of Mr Brockbanks have taken to social media to share their disbelief and shock over his death.
ChronicleLive has reported that Mr Brockbanks’ school friend Tyler Burns, 23, said: “I have just been in shock since it happened. He was like a little angel. It seemed like he was well on the way to doing what he wanted to do with his life. He seemed to have found himself in Newcastle.”
The pair were pupils at Whitehaven School.
Another school friend, Tyler Lee Irving, 23, said: “Jason was one of them people who would do anything for anyone. He was kind, warm and funny and would always ask you if you were okay. He genuinely cared about people which is rare these days, he’ll be a huge miss to everyone.
“We went all through secondary school together and all of my memories of Jason are that he was caring and genuine. It’s heart-breaking what has happened to someone so kind and I know I speak on behalf of Jason’s friends and family when I say he was a special lad who deserved the world. I hope Jason is somewhere and is at peace.”
A spokesman for Northumbria University added: “We are deeply saddened to confirm that a Northumbria University student has died. We are in contact with the student’s family and friends to offer any support we can at this tragic time. As this is an ongoing police investigation we are unable to comment further.”
