In a tragic and devastating incident, two boys, aged just 12 at the time, were convicted for the brutal murder of 19-year-old Shawn Seesahai in Wolverhampton last year. Now 13, the pair have been sentenced to a minimum of eight years and six months in detention—making them the youngest knife murderers in the UK since 1993, when Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were convicted for the murder of James Bulger.
The fatal attack occurred on November 13, 2023, when Shawn Seesahai, a stranger to the boys, was walking through Stowlawn playing fields with a friend. One of the boys shoulder-barged Seesahai, leading to a savage assault. They punched, kicked, and stamped on Seesahai before attacking him with a machete, delivering a fatal 20cm-deep blow to his heart. He suffered multiple injuries to his back, legs, and skull, and despite efforts to save him, Seesahai succumbed to his injuries.
What is particularly chilling is the callousness of the attack. After the murder, one of the boys cleaned the machete with bleach and hid it under his bed. Disturbingly, he later messaged on social media, "It is what it is" and "idrc" (I don't really care). This lack of remorse or understanding of the gravity of their actions highlights the toxic and desensitised culture surrounding knife crime.
Shawn Seesahai’s family, who had relocated to the UK from the Caribbean island of Anguilla, is heartbroken. Shawn had arrived in the UK to undergo cataract surgery and was set to start an engineering course in Birmingham the day after the attack. His parents had planned to move to the UK to be closer to him and to enroll his younger sister, Shana, in school. Those plans have now been shattered.
His parents expressed their grief and frustration. "It just hurt me so bad," said his mother, Manashwary Seesahai, as she recalled scattering her son’s ashes on his favorite beach back in Anguilla. "He would’ve married, had kids, we would’ve had grandchildren... nothing like that anymore."
The Seesahai family also voiced their desire for harsher sentencing, stating, "Murder is murder... they didn't kill my son the way that someone should be killed." Their pain is amplified by the fact that the murderers were so young themselves, with Shawn’s father, Suresh Seesahai, demanding stricter punishment for knife crimes.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the rising tide of knife crime across the UK, particularly among young people. The fact that these boys—barely teenagers—were carrying weapons and capable of such violence is a sobering reality. Rachel Brand KC, who defended one of the boys, highlighted that he had been "groomed" and exploited by older youths in the community, underlining the growing problem of peer pressure and criminal exploitation in vulnerable communities.
For the Seesahai family, the emotional toll is immeasurable, but their message is clear: "Children, think about what you're doing and don’t carry a weapon."
At Knives 4 Lives, we strongly echo this call. Knife crime is a scourge that steals futures—both for the victims and the perpetrators. We must do more as a society to educate, prevent, and intervene before tragedies like this can unfold. Raising awareness, supporting youth, and enforcing tougher penalties for knife crime are crucial steps in safeguarding our communities.
As we reflect on the devastating loss of Shawn Seesahai, let this be a wake-up call for all of us. Violence, especially among youth, is not inevitable. We can—and must—work towards a future where no family has to experience the heartache that the Seesahais now endure.
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At Knives 4 Lives, our mission is to combat knife crime through awareness, education, and community outreach. Visit our website to learn more about how you can support our cause and help create safer communities.
