A 16-year-old boy has been convicted of the murder of 16-year-old Joshua Ingram who was fatally stabbed last September over a £20 cannabis debt at Seaford railway station.

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted of murder at Lewes Crown Court today (5 August 2026) following a trial. He had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a bladed article. 

Another youth aged 15 was convicted of assisting an offender. A 17-year-old had already pleaded guilty to a charge of assisting an offender.

The court heard that Joshua was at Seaford station in East Sussex with a friend on 10 September last year when he was stabbed by the defendant, who had carried a knife in his waistband to use in the attack.

Building the case

The Crown Prosecution Service relied on a combination of mobile phone evidence, CCTV and doorbell footage to build a compelling case against the defendants. CCTV footage from the station captured the attack, showing the defendant stabbing Joshua twice.

After the attack, the defendant returned home before travelling to a co-defendant's house where he was captured on doorbell footage carrying a bag which contained the murder weapon and the clothes he had been wearing.

The prosecution was able to prove that the defendant deliberately stabbed Joshua twice intending to cause serious harm to him having seen him walking with his friend in the street.  The defendant pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the first day of the trial but denied murder claiming that he did not intend to cause that level of harm.

Carla Harris from the Crown Prosecution Service said: "This attack, which was borne out of a trivial debt, is a stark reminder of the catastrophic and irreversible consequences of carrying and using a knife.

“No one should lose their life in such a tragic and senseless way.

“The defendant admitted manslaughter but denied intending to murder Joshua. The CPS did not stand by and allow him to shirk responsibility and instead used all the evidence to prove the charge of murder.

“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Joshua Ingram who have suffered an irreplaceable loss.”