The Court of Appeal has increased the minimum prison terms for two 13-year-old boys convicted of the murder of 19-year-old Shawn Seesahai in Wolverhampton. The boys, who were 12 at the time of the killing, are now required to serve at least 10 years in custody, up from the original eight-and-a-half-year minimum terms.
The attack occurred in November 2023 on playing fields in East Park, Wolverhampton, following a dispute over a bench. Seesahai was stabbed through the heart and lungs, sustained a skull fracture, and was also punched, kicked, and stamped on. One of the machete wounds almost passed through his body.
Lord Justice Davis, sitting with Mr Justice Bennathan and Judge Dean KC, stated that the original sentences were unduly lenient, describing the case as “without parallel in recent times.” The judges expressed reluctance and sadness in reaching their decision but concluded that the minimum terms should be increased.
Seesahai’s family, who live in Anguilla, said “justice has been served” and that the increased sentence “better reflects the gravity of the actions that took him from us.” They described the murder as a “brutal and senseless act of violence.”
The boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty and blamed each other for the fatal wounds. They were convicted in June. The Attorney General’s office referred the sentences to the Court of Appeal in November, arguing they were too lenient. With time already served, the boys will spend nine years and 60 days in detention.
