Shawn Seesahai: Boys, 12, found guilty of murdering 19-year-old in machete attack
Two 12-year-old boys are thought to have become the youngest knife murderers in the UK after being found guilty of killing a 19-year-old in a machete attack.
Warning: This story contains details readers may find distressing
On Monday, jurors unanimously convicted the pair, who are believed to be youngest defendants convicted of murder in Britain since Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, both aged 11, were found guilty in 1993 of killing two-year-old James Bulger.
Shawn Seesahai, 19, died after the attack on 13 November last year.
He was struck on his back, legs and skull. The fatal wound to his back was more than 20cm deep and “almost came out” of his chest after going “through his heart”.
Two 12-year-old boys denied murdering Mr Seesahai but prosecutors said they were jointly responsible for the savage attack.
An image sent on Snapchat of one of the defendants holding the machete
Following the verdict, the detective who led the hunt said his experienced team were left in shock at the age of the killers.
“I have been a police officer for 20 years and this isn’t the first time I’ve been out to a young man who has lost his life in a really violent way,” said Detective Inspector Damian Forrest, of West Midlands Police.
“But to then find out that two 12-year-olds were responsible was shocking and made us all on the investigation team stop and pause and think about things.
“But I have got a really professional team with lots of experience and we gathered our thoughts, adapted our policies and our processes appropriately, and carried on with the investigation from there.”
Mr Seesahai, originally from Anguilla in the Caribbean, had been staying in Birmingham while recovering from cataract surgery.
He and a friend had walked to a park in Wolverhampton where they encountered a group of children.
Prosecutors said despite the fact Mr Seesahai had “offered no violence, nor done anything to offend”, he became the victim of a brutal attack.
Neither boy can be named because of their age.
Shawn Seesahai was attacked with a machete in a park in Wolverhampton. Pic: West Midlands Police
Unprovoked savagery
Prosecutors said one of the boys deliberately “shoulder brushed” Mr Seesahai that evening and then pulled a machete from his trousers.
Mr Seesahai’s friend managed to escape but Mr Seesahai ended up on the floor where prosecutors say he was punched, kicked and knifed by the two boys.
He was hit so hard to the skull with the machete that a “piece of bone had come away”.
He also sustained slash wounds to his leg and, most significantly, an injury from the machete that entered his body from his back, went through his ribs and into his heart.
“These two boys engaged in a joint attack upon a man who had done nothing wrong, a man with no weapon, who was utterly defenceless on the ground,” said Michelle Heeley KC.
Mr Seesahai’s mother Manashwary described her son as “very loving”.
“He’s always there for us, a very protected child. He helped his father [at work] with all the tools, he helped me [at] home with the chores, he loved to do that.”
Shawn’s father Suresh says his son used to help him with his work in construction.
“He was always with me, from the time he was born and growing up. When he’d have been around 16 he started to work with me. Whatsoever he knew that I’d need help [with] he’d always be there for me.”
Shawn Seesahai’s parents Suresh and Manashwary Seesahai
‘This world is a different world’
Mr Seesahai’s parents said Shawn had wanted to build a life in the UK and pursue a career in engineering. They said he was recovering well from his operation and the family had planned to join him in the UK so they could all be together.
Mrs Seesahai says her son was ambitious.
“He didn’t finish school, so after he came here and finished the eye surgery, he said when he felt better he’d finish off school and have his dream.”
“He’d always say ‘Mom, I want to work, I want my own house, I want my own car.’ He’d always say ‘Mom, I will be shining’.”
Mr Seesahai’s father spoke of the need for parents to be more aware of what their children might be up to.
“You don’t know what these kids have. This world is a different world. Kids are dangerous now and if we don’t pay attention to our kids it will happen every day.”
Police at the scene in November last year
Defendants blamed each other
Both boys blamed each other for the attack. One of them admitted to possessing the weapon that was used.
He was the first to give evidence in court and said that he and his co-accused had been sitting on a bench in the park with a female friend when they were approached by Mr Seesahai and another man.
He said Mr Seesahai towered over them and told them to “move from here”.
He said he told Mr Seesahai’s companion to “get your friend out of my face”.
The boy said Mr Seesahai grabbed him in a headlock and that his co-defendant ended up holding the machete and “side-stepped” towards them.
“Shawn let me out of the headlock and started running and then his shoe came off, and then he tripped,” he said.
The boy said both defendants ran after Mr Seesahai and the other 12-year-old then began striking his legs with the knife.
The first defendant said he told his friend to stop and didn’t realise that Mr Seesahai had been stabbed in the back.
He said that after the attack he had retrieved the knife.
The machete found by police under one of the boy’s beds. Pic: West Midlands Police
Machete discovery
Police later found the machete under his bed. He said he had purchased the weapon for £40 a couple of months before the killing.
He used bleach to clean the blood-stained knife, saying he got the idea from a music video, before hiding it under his bed.
The second 12-year-old gave a very different account, claiming his friend had stabbed Mr Seesahai and that he had been “nowhere near” him during the attack. He also denied having the machete in his own hands as the attack unfolded.
He told the court he had pushed Mr Seesahai off his friend, at which point the 19-year-old “grabbed on” to him, forcing them both to the floor.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Bloody attack
“I fell on the concrete,” he said. “Shawn fell on the grass.”
He said his co-defendant then ran after Mr Seesahai, who tripped when his shoe came off, and stabbed him more than once.
He said his friend had blood “all over his hands” and on the cuff of his fleece.
When police seized the boys’ phones they found photos of knives.
The 12-year-old who had purchased the machete said he had sent photos showing himself holding the weapon because he “thought it was cool”.
The boys have been held in secure accommodation since the attack.
Jonathan Roe, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS West Midlands, said: “This was a horrifying and random act of brutality, perpetrated by two 12-year-olds who should not have been spending their time arming themselves with a machete and preparing to take a life.
“Today’s conviction should send a clear message to those who feel it appropriate to arm themselves with knives or blades – no matter how you may try to justify it, you will face the consequences of your actions.”
The UK will formally recognise Palestine as a state, it is understood.
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to make the announcement on Sunday after he said in July that the government would make the move unless Israel met certain conditions.
The prime minister had called on Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to take substantive steps to end the “appalling situation in Gaza“, agree to a ceasefire, commit to a long-term sustainable peace, allow the UN to restart the supply of aid, and not annex the West Bank.
The Israeli foreign ministry furiously rejected his statement, with Mr Netanyahu claiming that “Starmer rewards Hamas‘s monstrous terrorism and punishes its victims”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Could recognition of Palestine change the West Bank?
Ilay David, brother of Hamas hostage Evyatar David, who was seen emaciated in a video last month, said giving recognition was “like saying to Hamas: ‘It is OK, you can keep starving the hostages, you can keep using them as human shields.’
“This kind of recognition gives Hamas power to be stubborn in negotiations. That is the last thing we need right now.”
There has been no ceasefire, and the situation in Gaza has deteriorated, with a declaration of a famine in Gaza City and the expansion of Israeli military operations.
Israel has launched a major ground offensive to seize all of Gaza City and destroy Hamas in an operation which has prompted widespread condemnation, with UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper calling it “utterly reckless and appalling”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
What changed in UK’s Gaza policy?
Earlier this month, a UN commission of inquiry concluded that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Israel said the claim was “distorted and false”.
The UK will join 147 of the 193 members of the UN who recognise Palestine ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York on Monday.
Other nations, including France, Australia and Canada, have said they plan to take the same step at the UN gathering as part of a broad international effort to put pressure on Israel.
During a joint news conference with the prime minister at Chequers on Thursday, Donald Trump said he disagreed with recognition, and US politicians have urged the UK and other allies to reverse their stance.
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to deliver the announcement on Sunday. Pic: PA
Sky News understands that Israel is considering options in response to the UK’s decision, but the strength of that reaction is still under consideration.
Read more:
Palestinian minister says UK recognition of state would be ‘courageous step’
What does recognising a Palestinian state mean?
Gaza could be ‘real estate bonanza’, Israeli minister says
Family members of some of the 48 hostages still in captivity, after Hamas and other militant groups stormed into Israel on 7 October 2023, have written an open letter to Sir Keir, condemning the move.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Israel ramps up attacks on Gaza City
“Hamas has already celebrated the UK’s decision as a victory and reneged on a ceasefire deal,” they said.
“We write to you with a simple plea – do not take this step until our loved ones are home and in our arms.”
The UK government is understood to be looking at further sanctions on Hamas, and has demanded the group release all hostages, agree to an immediate ceasefire, accept it will have no role in governing Gaza, and commit to disarmament.
Heathrow was among a number of major airports across Europe hit by delays after a suspected cyber attack that targeted a service provider for check-in and boarding systems.
The “technical issue” affecting Collins Aerospace, which provides check-in and boarding services for various airlines, resulted in 14 flights being cancelled at Brussels Airport on Saturday, and several more being delayed at London Heathrow, Berlin, and Dublin, among others.
‘Very clever cyber attack’ cancels flights in Europe – latest
Passengers have reported being unable to check in online, instead queuing for hours for staff to deal with them manually at desks and departure gates, only to be told their flights are not taking off.
Read more from Sky News
Dublin Airport reopens after emergency evacuation
Moment British couple freed by Taliban
Trump to add $100,000 fee for foreign worker visas
Helen Steel, 49, left Dorset for Heathrow at 3am to travel home to Oslo, with her cat Thomas – but was “shouted at by staff” who told her she would not be able to fly until Sunday.
Describing the situation as an “absolute nightmare”, she said: “I’ve got an animal here, so I’m very concerned about his welfare.
“I’ve been shouted at twice and I broke down in tears because I was worried about him. None of us have had any information whatsoever. Whenever we ask ground staff, they shout at us.”
Ms Steel says she spent two hours in the queue on the phone to customer service and is now having to find a hotel to stay in overnight.
Sam arrived at Heathrow expecting to drop his girlfriend off for her flight to Rio de Janeiro – but was still at the airport seven hours later.
Sam has been at Heathrow for seven hours after his girlfriend’s flight to Rio was cancelled
When they arrived, it was “chaos everywhere”, he told Sky News, with “nobody seeming to know what was going on”.
The couple say they were not told about the cyber attack by airport staff, finding out about it online instead.
After queuing for three hours, they made it to the front, only to be told the plane was not taking off, he adds.
“Her flight was at 8.40am and it was held back until 10.15am. At 10.10am they sent everyone away and told them to contact the airline. But there are no representatives for any airlines whatsoever. It’s been a bit of a farce.
“Nobody knew where they were going – and they were sending people left, right, and centre.
“She’s going tomorrow now, but we’ve got to find a hotel, and no one is here to give us any hotel vouchers. They just give you a piece of paper and say ‘you’ve got to pay for it yourself’.”
Passengers wait for news at Heathrow Terminal 4. Pic: PA
‘Insane queues’ and ‘skeleton staff’
Passenger Tereza Pultarova waited around 10 hours at Heathrow after she arrived at 4.30am for her flight to Cape Town via Amsterdam.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Tereza Pultarova had to wait 10 hours at Heathrow
“We were kind of stranded here because KLM wasn’t able to issue us boarding passes digitally, and requested us to collect them at the check-in desk,” she said.
“And then they told us that there is some sort of global issue with the system they’re using for check-in and boarding, and they have to do everything manually. So then they were checking in people at the rate of, like, one person per 10 minutes.
“I’m not exaggerating. It was just insane, the queue wasn’t moving. And then suddenly they said, ‘Oh, the flight will be departing, we’re closing the gate’.
Maria Casey was due to fly to Thailand with Etihad Airways – but had to wait three hours to drop off her luggage at Heathrow, with staff taking between five and 10 minutes to deal with each passenger.
Queues at Heathrow. Pic: PA
“The queues are terrible,” she told Sky News. “It was an absolute skeleton staff. Out of six of the desks there were probably two people”.
A Heathrow spokesperson advised people to arrive no more than three hours early for a flight and apologised for any inconvenience.
It is understood British Airways at Terminal 5 remains unaffected and is operating as normal.
Collins Aerospace said it is working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
“We have become aware of a cyber-related disruption to our Muse (Multi-User System Environment) software in select airports, the firm said in a statement.
“The impact is limited to electronic customer check-in and baggage drop and can be mitigated with manual check-in operations. We are actively working to resolve the issue and restore full functionality to our customers as quickly as possible.”
An elderly British couple who have arrived back in the UK after being detained in a maximum security Taliban prison are “delighted to be free”, their son has told Sky News.
Barbie Reynolds, 76, and her husband Peter, 80, were arrested in February after spending decades in Afghanistan, where they have dual citizenship.
They had been held without charge before being released from detention on Friday and flown to Qatar, where they were reunited with their daughter, before flying back to Heathrow Airport on Saturday.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Freed couple reunites with daughter
The couple’s son, Jonathan Reynolds, told Sky News: “They’re just delighted to be free… they’re very excited to see their kids and grandkids and great grandkids, people they’ve just been wanting to catch up with and wondered if they’d ever see them again.”
Jonathan, who spoke to his parents from Wyoming in the US in a FaceTime call with some of his siblings, said: “I’ve seen photographs of them in hospital beds getting checked. I’ve seen them having full English breakfasts. So they’re jumping on that.”
Peter Reynolds enjoys breakfast after his release
He described some of the conditions his parents had been kept under in a “big maximum security prison with thousands of inmates”.
“My dad described being handcuffed or chained to other criminals. And, one point he had his chest hairs ripped out,” he said.
“He was hit in the head. And, then they were moved, to more of a safe house.”
Peter Reynolds gets hospital check-up
But Jonathan said his parents retained their British politeness even when calling him from a payphone in the prison yard, with his dad asking: “Is now a good time?”.
“It was totally, ‘Yeah, not too bad. Where’s the queue to get out of here?'”
The UK government advises British nationals not to travel to Afghanistan.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesperson at the Taliban government’s foreign ministry, said in a statement posted on X that the couple “violated Afghan law” and were released from prison after a court hearing.
He did not say what law the couple were alleged to have broken.
Sky correspondent Cordelia Lynch was at Kabul Airport as the freed couple arrived and departed.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sky’s Cordy Lynch speaks to released couple
Mr Reynolds told her: “We are just very thankful.”
His wife added: “We’ve been treated very well. We’re looking forward to seeing our children.
“We are looking forward to returning to Afghanistan if we can. We are Afghan citizens.”
The couple have lived in Afghanistan for 18 years and run an organisation called Rebuild, which provides education and training programmes.
They have been together since the 1960s and married in the Afghan capital in 1970.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment12 months agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024