Murder trial of boys, 12, hears of deep machete blow

Machete wounds were detailed in court by pathologist Dr Charlotte Randall

A man killed in a machete attack suffered a wound that was so deep it almost went all the way through his body, the trial of two 12-year-olds heard.

At Nottingham Crown Court, where the boys are accused of Shawn Seesahai's murder, the jury was told the wound sustained in Wolverhampton last year was nine inches (23cm).

The court heard the injury caused devastating damage to Mr Seesahai's heart.

The pair, who cannot be named because of their age, deny the charge, with each boy blaming the other for the killing in East Park on 13 November.

Pathologist Dr Charlotte Randall told jurors on Friday the surface of the fatal stab wound measured two inches (5cm) by 0.7 inches (1.8cm).

She said the force needed to cause such an injury would be at least moderate, but she could not "exclude a severe degree of force".

She added it was "very difficult" to predict how quickly Mr Seesahai, who was 19, would have died after this injury, but she believed it "would only be a matter of seconds to minutes".

Mr Seesahai also suffered a cut to the back of his head, which went through his scalp and into the skull, the court heard.

Shawn Seesahai was fatally wounded in November last year

Dr Randall said that it was possible the machete "may have been responsible for causing all of the injuries" inflicted.

She also told the court he suffered a shallower stab wound to the front of his lower arm and a wound to his lower left thigh.

Mr Seesahai also sustained abrasions to his left thigh, right shoulder and back.

Dr Randall added a small lock-knife recovered after the death may have caused some of Mr Seesahai’s injuries but not the fatal wound.

The trial continues.