Seb Mitchell: Teen guilty of murdering friend after mirror smash

Seb Mitchell's family described him as "beautiful, funny and talented"

A teenager who stabbed a friend after a row erupted over a smashed mirror has been found guilty of his murder.

Seb Mitchell, 17, died in hospital on 21 February, two days after he was injured during a gathering of five teenagers at a house in Harrogate.

Dylan Cranfield, 17, took the largest knife from the block in the kitchen and stabbed Seb in the chest, prosecutors told Leeds Crown Court.

Cranfield admitted manslaughter but denied murder.

During the trial, the court heard the group had been drinking vodka together on the night of the stabbing at the property on Claro Road, where Cranfield lived.

A scuffle began between Cranfield and Seb after the mirror smashed, the jury was told, with the defendant overheard telling his friend he was going to "wet him up", a slang term for causing someone to bleed.

The trial previously heard Seb was stabbed on the left side of his chest, causing a "catastrophic haemorrhage".

He was taken to Harrogate District Hospital for treatment and was later transferred for further medical help at Leeds General Infirmary.

He was a week short of his 18th birthday when he was pronounced dead, the jury previously heard.

Dylan Cranfield, who admitted manslaughter, was found guilty of murder on Friday at Leeds Crown Court

During cross-examination by Peter Moulson KC, prosecuting, Cranfield admitted lying to 999 call handlers when he was overheard on the line saying Seb had "fallen on the knife".

Mr Moulson asked: "What was the problem with 'I stabbed him but it was an accident?'"

"I was panicking, I didn't know what to say," Cranfield replied.

'Deterrent effect'

The defendant claimed he had no intention of using the knife during the scuffle and told the court he only realised he had stabbed his friend when he saw blood on the kitchen knife.

But on Friday, a jury found the teenager from Harrogate guilty of murder on a majority of 10-2 after deliberating for more than 14 hours.

Judge Guy Kearl, Recorder of Leeds, lifted a reporting restriction previously banning the naming of the defendant, telling the court: "The use of knives in West Yorkshire in particular is prevalent.

"Accordingly, the publicity provided to a case such as this will have a valuable deterrent effect."

He added: "Young people must know that all knives are lethal weapons and they can - in dreadful circumstances - lead to the death of others."

A sentencing date of 4 October was set.