THE grieving parents of a teenager who was fatally stabbed while on a Greek island holiday say their anguish has been added to by being left in the dark about what will happen to the man who is alleged to have killed their son.

Robert Sebbage died on the island of Zante on July 13 last year in an incident which also left four of his friends with stab wounds.

Although a taxi driver was arrested and charged, Robert’s grieving parents Andy and Rhian have been desperately trying to find out what is happening in the judicial process.

For seven months, they had no idea if, or when, a trial would take place, and exactly what charges have been brought against the alleged killer – and it was only this week that they finally received some information.

The lads’ holiday turned to tragedy when, after larking around, 18-year-old Robert and his friends were confronted by the taxi driver, who allegedly went berserk with a knife.

Rhian, 46, and Andy, 57, from Weyhill Close, Tadley, are now trying to raise £60,000 to pay for a Greek English-speaking lawyer to find out what is happening, and to enable them and the families of Robert’s friends to travel to the country to make sure the alleged killer is properly prosecuted.

The Greek authorities will only communicate with a lawyer. Rhian said: “We want answers, and we want closure.”

The family have set up a fund called Out of the Blue. Rhian, a senior team leader at a nursing home, said the long-term aim is to set up a charity to help other families who find themselves in similar situations.

This week, Rhian and Andy received a letter from MP David Lidington, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, forwarded to them by North West Hampshire MP Sir George Young.

The letter confirmed that the authorities are not obliged to pass on any information about the case. However, Mr Lidington said the public prosecutor on the island has stated the investigation is now complete and a decision will be made on where, and when, a trial will take place.

A Council of Judges will decide whether the accused killer should remain in custody for an additional six months while waiting for the trial date.

The letter said a lawyer will be best placed to advise the family, and represent them during the trial.

Rhian said: “If we don’t get a lawyer, we can’t get information. I wouldn’t know how to get hold of the public prosecutor in Greece, and even if I did, I might need an interpreter because I don’t know if the prosecutor speaks English.”

The heartbroken parents and their other two sons, Steven, 20, and Martin, 23, had to fly out to Greece and identify Robert’s body.

“I sat in this grotty mortuary – it was horrific,” recalled Rhian. “We were all in shock because suddenly it made it real.”

The family were rushed from the island because of the media frenzy. Rhian said: “We were really upset because we wanted to bring Robert home and we couldn’t.”

She added: “It’s been seven months and even though he’s been laid to rest, it still doesn’t feel real. We have been very good at putting on public faces. It’s very empty without Robert here.”

The family now hope to raise funds through various events, including a football match in May, involving Tadley Calleva FC. They have enlisted the help of Andy Granston – the father of Robert’s friend Steven, who was also stabbed. Mr Granston is the chairman of Tadley Calleva Youth Football Club, which Robert – who was a keen Reading FC fan – played for.