Two boys have today been sentenced for the tragic murder of Shawn Seesahai in a park in Wolverhampton last autumn.
The boys, now both aged 13, were convicted of killing the 19-year-old on 13 November last year, when they were just aged 12.
Neither boy can be named for legal reasons due to their age, but they were both sentenced to eight years and six months in a young offenders’ institution.
On the night he was killed, Shawn and two of friends travelled into Wolverhampton on the tram so one of the friends could visit his girlfriend.
Shawn, who’d been living in Birmingham, had only been in the UK for about six months, having come over from his home in Anguilla for eye surgery.
While he and one friend waited on a bench in Stowlawn playing fields, some youngsters, who had been on a nearby basketball court, came over.
Tragically the exchange that followed resulted in Shawn being fatally stabbed.
Our officers were the first at the scene and started CPR before paramedics took over. But despite all their best efforts, Shawn was declared dead at 9.11pm.
Both boys, who denied murder, refused to answer any further questions during police interviews.
But on 10 June at Nottingham Crown Court they were both convicted of Shawn’s murder. One admitted possessing a bladed article, while the second was found guilty of the same charge.
During the sentencing of the two boys, the court heard a statement from Shawn’s family of the impact of the ‘tragic, unexpected and senseless murder of our beloved son and brother’.
Shawn’s father Suresh, said: “Losing a child is a parent’s worst nightmare. It has left a huge hole in the pit of our stomach which nothing can fill, we are devastated as a family, totally heart broken and confused.”
Chief Superintendent Kim Madill who is West Midland Police lead on serious youth violence, said: “Shawn’s murder was horrifying, leaving his family understandably heartbroken and mourning their beloved son, and our thoughts and sympathies will remain with them.
“Today’s sentence can never make up for Shawn’s life being taken, but we hope it can bring some comfort to all those who loved him.
“Shawn was only 19 when his life was taken at the hands of two boys, then aged just 12, who had armed themselves with a machete. That reality has had a huge impact on us all – it is both shocking and saddening.
“The impact of knife crime is devastating and no matter where you live in the country, this is an issue which affects us all.
“Much work has been done and we have had successes in some areas however this is clearly not enough.
“We are listening to families affected by knife crime and acting on their feedback to see what more we can do with partners to stop the devastation caused by knife crime.
“Our responsibility is to work together with partners to understand why children and young people think it is ok to carry weapons and take further action to stop this extremely dangerous behaviour.
“Our work will not stop and any death or injury as a result of knife crime will never be acceptable.”
