Sachin Hawkins: Hull student stabbed to death in row over taste in music, court hears

Sachin Hawkins, who had been living in America with his mother, was in his second year at the university

Warning: This report contains offensive language.

A student was stabbed to death by a housemate after an argument over the victim's taste in music escalated into violence, a court has heard.

Sachin Hawkins died after he was fatally stabbed at the shared house he was staying in, on Hardy Street, Hull, on 15 November 2023.

Syed Hussain-Kazi, 25, of Hardy Street, denies murder.

Hull Crown Court heard the 19-year-old was "stabbed through the heart" with a 6in-long (15cm) bladed knife.

Prosecutor Sharon Beattie told the jury of eight women and four men Mr Hawkins had been playing music and was standing in the doorway in the kitchen when Mr Hussain-Kazi, who had been drinking, "started poking fun at his taste in music".

"The defendant called him a faggot. Sachin replied back calling him a bitch," said Ms Beattie.

"They usually called each other names in a jokey way.

"On this day, however, it escalated when the defendant replied: 'what did you call me?'"

It was at this point Mr Hussain-Kazi stabbed the 19-year-old in the chest, the court heard.

The stabbing happened inside a shared house in Hardy Street in Hull

"Sachin said 'he just stabbed me' and dropped to the floor," the prosecutor told the court.

Mr Hussain-Kazi repeatedly retorted "who's the bitch now?" as another housemate held him back, the jury heard.

The defendant was later heard by another saying "I need to go" before picking up his jacket and stepping over Mr Hawkins while uttering "I'm sorry" before leaving the house, the court was told.

Following his arrest, Mr Hussain-Kazi denied murder and told police he "had no intention to cause Sachin any harm" and that he was "my friend", the prosecutor said.

The jury heard there were previous concerns over the 25-year-old's behaviour, including an occasion in November 2022 at university halls of residence where he scared first-year flatmates when he "started swinging a 30cm knife" in front of a student's face, jurors heard.

At the time Mr Hawkins had tried to talk him down and students believed the incident was "drink-related".

"The defendant has a tendency to pick up knives to intimidate others with little reason to do so", said Ms Beattie.

Jurors heard the pair met in their first year at the University of Hull and had been living together in the same halls. They formed a friendship and later moved together with three other friends into a student house on Hardy Street in August 2023.

Mr Hawkins was originally from London but moved to America with his mother. He later decided to return to the UK.

The 19-year-old was training to be a special education teacher.

The trial at Hull Crown Court continues.