Boy blames friend for machete killing, jury hears

Shawn Seesahai died in Wolverhampton on 13 November last year

One of two 12-year-old boys accused of murdering a man with a machete has told a jury he saw his co-defendant kill the victim, in an attack that lasted up to five minutes.

Shawn Seesahai, 19, was found on Wolverhampton's Stowlawn playing fields on 13 November, after being stabbed through the heart and suffering a skull fracture.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said he was "nowhere near" as Mr Seesahai was stabbed by his friend.

The boys, whose identities are protected by a court order, both deny murder.

At Nottingham Crown Court on Monday, the defendant denied causing Mr Seesahai any injury.

He told the jury his friend had told the victim and a friend of the deceased to "keep it stepping," before putting a sheathed machete down behind a bench, and adding "get ready."

He claimed he had been surprised that his friend had the weapon.

"Shawn towered over him. He just kept saying 'move off the bench,'" added the second defendant.

A teenage girl, known to both defendants, then picked up the machete, the boy said, and passed it to the other youth.

'Nowhere near him'

When questioned by Paul Lewis KC, defending, the boy said his friend was put in a headlock, and asked for help while trying to make sure the victim could not grab the knife.

"I pushed Shawn off [the first defendant]. He [Shawn] grabbed on to me. We both fell to the floor," he told the court.

"I fell on the concrete. Shawn fell on the grass."

According to the boy's account, the other defendant - who admits owning the machete - then ran after Mr Seesahai, who tripped when his shoe came off as he tried to flee.

Denying that he kicked, punched or stamped on the victim, the boy said he had seen his friend stab Mr Seesahai more than once.

"I was nowhere near him, I told him to leave it," he said.

The boy said his friend had attacked Mr Seesahai for about five minutes, and then had blood "all over his hands" and on the cuff of his fleece.

He added that he did not know how a "very small" spot of blood had got onto his right trainer.

Mr Lewis asked the boy: "Did you have the knife in your hand at any time when you were in the park?"

The boy answered: "No."

Before his arrest the following day, the boy said his co-defendant visited him at home and said they should blame the teenage girl for what had happened.

The trial continues.