Judge prepares to sentence Wolverhampton machete killers, 13, who killed ‘irreplaceable’ Shawn

The boys, both from Wolverhampton, were 12 when they were convicted of murdering Shawn Seesahai on Stowlawn playing fields.

During the attack on November 13 last year, Mr Seesahai, who had only been in the UK for a few months, suffered cuts to his legs and a stab wound that went through his back and ribs and into his heart.

His pre-teen killers were found guilty of murder in June this year after a month-long trial at Nottingham Crown Court. They are the youngest people to be convicted of murder in the UK since Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, both aged 11, were found guilty in 1993 of murdering two-year-old James Bulger.

Today they were brought back to the same court for the start of a complex two-day sentencing exercise.

The Presiding Judge of Midland Circuit, the Honorable Mrs Justice Amanda Tipples, heard a statement from Mr Seesahai’s devastated family, who said “he will never be replaced by anyone because he is irreplaceable”.

Representatives for both killers also approached the judge about their circumstances. Below is a summary of everything that was said on Thursday, before the defendants return to court tomorrow to be sentenced.