Family of Shawn Seesahai 'do not feel sentence reflects their loss' after two 13-year-olds sentenced

The family of a 19-year-old who was murdered by two boys in a park in Wolverhampton have said "justice has been served", but they are "disappointed with the sentence".

Two boys, now 13, were found guilty of murdering teenager Shawn Seesahai in a random and "senseless" machete attack.

They have been sentenced to at least eight years and six months in custody. This includes the time they have spent already in custody.

This means the boys could walk free at 20 years old when released from custody.

The killers, both from Wolverhampton, were convicted in June of murdering the 19-year-old, who was stabbed in the heart and suffered a skull fracture on the city’s Stowlawn playing fields on November 13 last year. They were 12 at the time of the murder.

They are believed to be the 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.

They will not be named though after High Court judge Mrs Justice Tipples rejected a media application in July.

A statement has been issued on behalf of the family of Shawn Seesahai following the sentencing.

It reads: "Whilst the family recognise that today justice has been served in respect of the horrific murder of their beloved son Shawn, they are disappointed with the sentence.

"Shawn’s life was violently taken away at the hands of individuals who were knowingly carrying a machete, which they used to violently kill their beloved son.

"No one hearing the details of this case could feel anything other than horror at the violence that took place that evening, where Shawn was stabbed in the heart and kicked in the head on the ground."

The statement went on to say that the family had hoped that the sentence handed down would reflect this abhorrent violence.

The statement continues: "Whilst they recognise that three young lives have been destroyed, they alone have lost their son forever, and they do not feel the sentence reflects the loss they have suffered daily since their son was murdered.

"If low sentences are given it will not be a deterrent to other children who carry knives.

"This is now a social crisis. Children carrying knives must be addressed by everyone, so Shawn’s life is not taken in vain.

"It takes a village to raise a child."

Why were the 12-year-olds sentenced for a minimum of eight years?

Explaining her reasons for the length of the minimum terms after the boys were taken down to begin their sentences of detention, High Court judge Mrs Justice Tipples said the murder was aggravated by the fact it was an attack involving two offenders.

Mitigating factors included the fact the “spur-of-the-moment attack” was not premeditated, and the young age of the defendants, who were told they will remain in separate secure units where they were held on remand during their trial.

The “extremely vulnerable” first defendant, who admitted buying the murder weapon from a friend for £40 around a month before the attack, had been “groomed and exploited” by others, the court heard.

The judge said the first defendant had had “very many adverse childhood experiences” including falling victim to exploitation by criminals and “multiple traumas” in childhood for which he was not responsible.

“I agree with the authors of the (pre-sentence) report that he does not at this stage have the maturity to fully appreciate the consequences of his actions,” the judge added.

The court heard the second defendant had a supportive and loving relationship with his parents and was not previously known to the police.

'Shawn Seesahai lost his life in a horrifically cruel way'

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said the two killers “should have been enjoying their childhood rather than arming themselves with a machete and killing an innocent person”.

Jonathan Roe, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "As prosecutors, we often deal with harrowing cases, but this case is particularly distressing due to the complete senselessness and devastating consequences of the defendants' actions.

“The defendants at the age of 12 should have been enjoying their childhood rather than arming themselves with a machete and killing an innocent person.

“Shawn Seesahai lost his life in a horrifically cruel way. I hope today’s sentencing serves as a reminder of the dangers of carrying machetes.

“Shawn's family have shown remarkable strength and dignity in the aftermath of such a tragedy and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.”

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