According to Caroline Gali, BBC News, West Midlands
Two 12-year-old boys have been found guilty of murdering a man who was stabbed in the heart with a machete.
Shawn Seesahai, 19, died in November last year after being attacked at Stowlawn field in East Park, Wolverhampton.
The pair, who cannot be named, are believed to be the youngest ever to be sentenced for the crime James Bulgerâs killer was arrested in 1993.
During the trial at Nottingham Crown Court, the children tried to blame each other, but the jury convicted both of Mr Seesahaiâs murder.
Warning: This court report contains details that may disturb readers
The jury heard he attacked the victim with such ferocity that in one blow, the 16-inch (42.5cm) machete almost went through his body.
One defendant previously pleaded guilty to possessing a machete âwithout good reason or legal authorityâ, while a co-defendant was convicted of the same charge.
Mr Seesahai is from Anguilla in the Caribbean, but has traveled to the UK to seek help with his eyesight and lives in Handsworth, Birmingham.
The teenager had an incurable cataract in Anguilla, and after successful surgery in the UK, was able to start planning for the future and thinking about getting an education, prosecutor Michelle Heeley KC said.
In an interview released after the verdict, Mr Seesahaiâs parents, Suresh and Maneshwary, said they would never get over the loss of their son, whom they described as a âvery loving childâ.
Special arrangements were made in court because of the boyâs age.
They were allowed to sit in the main well of the court along with family members and specially trained court mediators who helped explain the proceedings.
The barrister and judge, Mrs Justice Tipples, also did not wear wigs and gowns
On November 13, Mr. Seesahai went to Wolverhampton with friends, when the two defendants were together in the evening, they met two girls of the same age.
The court heard that one of the boys regularly carried a machete, and had passed it between him and his co-accused that day.
Mr. Seesahai and his friend went to the playground and sat on a bench before walking around the park and later returning to the bench where they met the boy and girl.
The pair âgot togetherâ with the defendants, the court heard, with one boy âaccidentally brushing the shouldersâ of Mr Seesahai.
When he asked what he was doing, someone pulled a machete from his pants and Mr. Seesahai shouted ârunâ to his friend.
His friend ran and when he looked back, he saw Mr Seesahai on the floor, surrounded by children, the court heard.
Mr. Seesahai was hit with a machete on his back, leg and skull and was also beaten.
He was hit so hard in the skull with the weapon that âpieces of bone were actually missingâ, the jury was told.
âHe had wounds to his legs, and most importantly he had wounds from the machete that went through his body to his back, his ribs and his heart,â Heeley told the court.
âWe are surprisedâ
A witness told the police that he saw a boy using a machete on Mr. Seesahaiâs leg and another punching and stamping on his head.
Although CPR was administered to him, he died at the scene at around 21:00 GMT.
The court heard the boys had pictures of a knife like the one used on their phone and had searched online for news articles about the attack.
One of the boys had also searched online for âhow much criminal record do you have to leave the countryâ the day after the murder on November 14th.
One has posed in a mask with a murder weapon for hours before killing, and found 11 areas of bloodstaining on his clothes.
He was also seen with blood on his hands after the murder, while his friend had a small area of ââbloodstaining on the right trainer.
Mr Seesahaiâs mother said she and her husband had learned their son had been killed when a friend who lived with them called.
Her husband recalled that she immediately burst into tears after answering.
âHe couldnât talk so I took the phone from him and I asked him what happened and he said Shawn got stabbed,â he said.
âI asked if Shawn was okay and he said Shawn passed away.â
He added: âWe havenât been able to eat for a week straight. Itâs like weâre in shock and we donât know what weâre doing.â
Ms Seesahai said: âShawn was a very loving son, he was very polite, looked after us, loved everyone and was very protective.
âHe said he wanted a job, his own house, his own car.
âAfter the eye surgery he said he would finish school. He always said âmum. Iâll shine, Iâll shine, donât worry Iâll help youâ.â
Mr Seesahai said he felt sorry for the parents of the two killers and did not want to see them âgo for their livesâ, but wanted to see âthe right sentenceâ.
The boy will be sentenced at a future date.
This will stay with me â detective
Det Insp Damian Forrest of West Midlands Police, described the case as âshockingâ.
âUnfortunately, this is not the first case I have investigated where a young person has died in knife crime, but this is the first time I have seen two 12-year-olds responsible,â he said.
âThatâs what surprised me and will stay with me.â
He said it was âsadâ that the West Midlands had the highest rate of knife crime in England and Wales, but that the strategy was working.
One such operation is the West Midlands Police Guardian Task Force, which operates under a Home Office budget and specifically targets youth crime and serious knife crime.
Insp Colin Gallier from the taskforce said the age of the suspects was a âreal concernâ although he often encountered teenagers or gangs and groups in public places with weapons and knives.
âThis is a real challenge for us,â he said.
He added that the âbiggest challengeâ is how easily accessible knives are and that the force has seen an increase in the number of weapons being bought online and through social media.
He added: âPeople might think they carry it for protection, but in fact, carrying a knife shows the opposite.â