British student Danny Castledine stabbed to death in Amsterdam, inquest hears
A British student was stabbed to death during a trip to Amsterdam before he was dragged and left at the bottom of steps, an inquest has heard.
Danny Castledine, 22, sustained 44 wounds near the Singel canal in the Dutch capital in June 2022, when he was with a friend on the way to a music festival in Belgium.
At Nottingham Coroner’s Court on Tuesday, assistant coroner Nathanael Hartley concluded he was unlawfully killed, with the cause of death recorded as “multiple stab wounds”.
Mr Castledine’s sister Chloe, who was at the inquest with their parents, described her brother as “happy-go-lucky” and said he just wanted to “enjoy his life”.
“It’s a shame his life ended in the way it did in a foreign country because he loved to travel,” she told the inquest.
“All he wanted to do was go out and have a good time. Everyone loved him, no one had a bad word to say about him.
“He trusted everyone and assumed everyone was out for a good time like he was.”
Pic: Family Handout/PA
The court heard in January a Belgian national, referred to as Nongo B, was found guilty of manslaughter in a Dutch court and jailed for 14 years.
Detective Constable Gina Farrell of Nottinghamshire Police told the hearing she was told Mr Castledine became “separated” from his friend “after 1am”.
“Danny walked around the city centre thereafter and he appeared to have met the person we call the defendant between 1.40am and 2.12am,” she added.
“Danny walked with the defendant into where there appears to be a clash between Danny and the defendant.
“It is believed this is where he carried out the attack before he dragged him down the stairs to the basement flat.
“One of the hypotheses that came up is that the defendant attempted to rob Danny, but there was no evidence to substantiate that.”
Pic: Family Handout/PA
Mr Hartley said Mr Castledine suffered “severe blood loss” with a stab wound to his neck, adding other stab wounds “may have contributed to death through blood loss”.
Ms Farrell said a man was found with blood on his clothing matching Mr Castledine’s and told the hearing a retrial of the defendant may happen.
Mr Castledine’s mum previously said: “When Danny was alive, it frustrated me that he was so laid back but now I just think, I’m so glad he lived that life because he loved every minute of it.
“It was almost like he knew he had to pack everything into 22 years.”
A 53-year-old man has been charged after a car was driven into a crowd at Liverpool FC’s trophy parade.
Paul Doyle, from the West Derby area of Liverpool, has been charged with seven offences, Merseyside Police said.
The businessman, who is a father-of-three, is accused of two counts of unlawful and malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and two counts of causing unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Paul Doyle
Doyle is also accused of two counts of attempted unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and one count of dangerous driving.
He is due to appear before Liverpool Magistrates Court on Friday.
The charges relate to six people, including two children. A wounding charge and an attempted grievous bodily harm charge relate to a child.
A police car was outside Doyle’s four-bedroom detached family home in the West Derby area on Thursday morning.
According to his social media, he has travelled extensively including Japan, Fiji, India and Australia. Doyle has posted pictures of himself competing in triathlons, and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
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New Liverpool incident footage
Thousands of fans were gathered in Liverpool city centre on Monday to celebrate the Premier League champions’ title win when a car struck a crowd on Water Street.
Police said a total of 79 people were injured in the incident, with the youngest aged nine, and the oldest being a 78-year-old.
Seven people remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Forensic officers at the scene in Water Street. Pic: PA
‘Huge volume of evidence’
Chief crown prosecutor for the CPS Mersey-Cheshire, Sarah Hammond, told a news conference on Thursday that the investigation was at an early stage and a “huge volume of evidence” was being reviewed.
“This includes multiple pieces of video footage and numerous witness statements. It is important to ensure that every victim gets the justice they deserve.
“The charges will be kept under review as the investigation progresses.”
Police ‘working tirelessly’
Also at the briefing where the charges were announced was Assistant Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, Jenny Sims, who said: “I fully understand how this incident has left us all shocked and saddened, and I know many will continue to have concerns and questions.
“Our detectives are working tirelessly, with diligence and professionalism, to seek the answer to all of those questions. When we are able to, we will provide further information.”
The youngest victim injured in the Liverpool parade crash on Monday is nine years old, police have said.
They added that the oldest is 78, with all 79 people injured understood to be British. Seven remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Merseyside Police declined to say what drug the 53-year-old man arrested over the incident is alleged to have taken.
“We wouldn’t go into this detail at this stage of the investigation,” the force said.
Police at the scene in Liverpool. Pic: AP
Forensic officers in Water Street. Pic: PA
Police are still questioning the driver and were granted further time to do so on Wednesday.
Officers have until Thursday evening to question the man from West Derby.
He is in custody on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and drug driving.
Police believe the car which struck pedestrians was able to follow an ambulance crew attending to someone suffering a heart attack after a road block was temporarily lifted.
Hundreds of thousands of Liverpool fans had turned out to celebrate their team’s Premier League title when the incident unfolded on Water Street just after 6pm on Monday.
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‘My boy in his pram, got bounced’
‘The best day of my life turned into worst’
Sky News interviewed a lifelong Liverpool fan who said his five-month-old son was “bounced” 15ft (4.6m) in his pram after they were hit by the vehicle.
The child was not counted in the police’s injury tally.
Daniel Eveson, 36, also said his partner had been driven over.
“The best day of my life turned into [the] worst,” Mr Eveson said.
He added: “Me and my partner were flat on the roof, on the bonnet… we were just both trying to hold on for dear life with Ted next to us.
“And my partner went under the wheels of the car, of the front of the car, and it rolled over her leg, and I just bounced off to the side, but my boy and his pram got bounced totally in the opposite direction – about 15ft down the road.”
Read more:
How the parade crash unfolded
Police given more time to question Liverpool suspect
Why police released ‘unprecedented’ details
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Liverpool to meet with police chiefs and the local metro mayor.
He said he was being kept informed of developments, adding: “The scenes on Monday were just awful, to see how incredible joy at an amazing achievement turned to horror in a moment.”
Messages of support have been sent to the people of Liverpool, including from the King who said: “I know that the strength of community spirit for which your city is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales said they were “deeply saddened” by the incident.
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