Seb Mitchell Archives - The Stray Ferret

Police say Seb Mitchell murder sends ‘clear message’ on knife crime

The senior investigating officer in the murder of Harrogate teenager Seb Mitchell has said the outcome of the case “sends a very clear message to anyone who may consider possessing a knife”.

Dylan Cranfield, 17, was sentenced to a minimum of 11 years in jail at Leeds Crown Court yesterday for murdering Harrogate Grammar School student Seb with a kitchen knife in February this year.

Cranfield will be eligible for parole in a little over 10 years.

Dylan Cranfield

Detective superintendent Wayne Fox, of North Yorkshire Police’s major investigation team, described the case as “an absolute tragedy”.

He added:

“The life of a young man has been needlessly taken in circumstances which escalated as a result of the defendant arming himself with a lethal weapon in retribution for causing a very small amount of damage.

“No sentence can bring back a young person, who had such a bright future ahead of him and so much to look forward to in life.

“The defendant’s actions in resorting to the use of a knife, have been catastrophic, taking Seb’s life and changing beyond recognition the lives of his family, friends and loved ones.”

Det supt Fox added:

“There are no words that can sum up the devastation caused by young people who think nothing of picking up a knife or other weapon and using it. I hope that the outcome of this case sends a very clear message to anyone who may consider possessing a knife that no good can come from such action.

“Our thoughts remain very much with Seb’s family and friends. We hope that the conclusion of the proceedings brings a semblance of closure for them at such a difficult time.”

The Stray Ferret published articles yesterday about Cranfield’s sentencing and also the family’s reaction to the conclusion of the case.

Brother of murdered Seb Mitchell issues knife plea to young people

The eldest brother of murdered Harrogate boy Seb Mitchell has urged young people to “think again” about carrying knives after the killer was sentenced today.

Dylan Cranfield, 17, plunged an eight-inch kitchen knife through Seb’s heart, causing a fatal loss of blood and cardiac arrest after an argument at a house party.

He received a life sentence at Leeds Crown Court today – but will be eligible for parole in a little over 10 years.

Seb’s family read out heart-rending victim-impact statements expressing their devastation at the loss of a “beautiful, kind soul” and their wish to see Cranfield jailed for “many years”, the Harrogate killer.

Jack Mitchell, Seb’s eldest brother, also warned other young people to “think again” about carrying knives. He said:

“No amount of justice will ever compensate for the loss of Seb.

“He was an utterly beautiful soul who filled all of our lives with laughter and treated everyone he met with love and kindness. The chasm in our lives from his loss will never be filled.

“I urge anybody listening to this that carries a knife or thinks it is acceptable to pick up a knife in anger to think again.

“All it takes is one knife. One moment. One stab. And suddenly you are a killer.

“Your life is over and you have destroyed so many lives.”

‘Every day is felt with sadness, tears and heartache’

Seb’s mother Sonya Mitchell said Cranfield had committed “the ultimate betrayal” by killing his friend, which had destroyed her family’s life.

She added:

“Seb was my baby, the youngest of our five boys. Seb was one of the good guys, the best. He loved his life.

“The day that Seb died was the day our lives and many other lives in the Harrogate community and beyond changed forever.”

“We received the devastating news that although the knife wound had been repaired in his heart, it was not enough to save his life. It was the day our family of seven were shattered and broken into a family of six.”

Seb Mitchell. Picture: Sam Mitchell.

She said her family were enduring a “life sentence of pain and misery that will never, ever leave us”, adding:

“Seb was a beautiful soul, a courteous, bright, funny, popular, talented and supportive son, brother, grandson, friend and cousin loved by so many people,” she added.

“It’s impossible to comprehend the needless, senseless and violent way such a wonderful young man died. He was ripped away from us all forever, leaving a Seb-shaped hole in our hearts.

“Since the dreadful incident in February, every day is felt with sadness, tears and a heartache (from) losing Seb in such a ruthless and barbaric way. He had such a bright future ahead of him.”

Ms Mitchell, who has been on high levels of medication since her son was murdered, added:

“Whatever sentence is given to Seb’s murderer will never be enough. Seb will still be dead.

“I will still be dreading going to bed every night and dreading waking up the following morning to the awful realisation that I will never, ever see my beautiful, happy, smiling boy again, never hear his laugh, never see him evolve from the loving, kind teenage boy into the brilliant young man we all know he would have been.”

Grandmother’s tribute to ‘dearly loved’ Seb

Seb’s grandmother Lynette Fellows said:

“It’s impossible for me to quantify the abject misery, pain and distress this has had on us all. The loss of a dearly loved child (and) grandchild in the most brutal and senseless of ways has caused a grief so profound no-one can imagine.

“Seb had so many friends and talents with so much to give in the future. He had such a zest for life. Sadly, this future has been cut short in the most cruel and senseless way.”

She said her beloved grandson was kind to people and animals alike and “those blue eyes…always sparkled with love and a sense of fun”.

Murder after row over mirror

The incident, which was witnessed by three other teenagers, occurred at Cranfield’s house on Claro Road, Harrogate, where the two boys became embroiled in a blazing row.

Seb, who was just a week away from his 18th birthday, died two days after being stabbed in the chest by his friend who was “heavily intoxicated”, said prosecutor Peter Moulson KC.

Dylan Cranfield

Cranfield, of Claro Road, was found guilty of murder following a nine-day trial in August after the jury decided he had used the knife with intent to cause grievous harm.

Judge Guy Kearl KC, the Recorder of Leeds, lifted reporting restrictions allowing the press to name Cranfield who had previously remained anonymous due to his age.

The jury heard how the incident was triggered by a smashed mirror after Harrogate Grammar School student Seb had pushed Cranfield into a door during an argument. Within seconds, the two boys were squaring up to each other, shouting and swearing, whereupon Cranfield grabbed a large knife from the kitchen block and pointed it towards Seb’s stomach.

“A minute or two” since the initial argument, Seb was laid out on a sofa with a chest wound and gasping for breath, his face going white.

Three teenagers who witnessed the incident in the early hours of February 19 went to Seb’s aid and called police and an ambulance as he lay barely conscious on the settee.

Mr Moulson said that when police arrived, Seb was unresponsive and falling deeper into unconsciousness.

He was taken to Harrogate District Hospital by ambulance, but his condition was so critical he was transferred to Leeds General Infirmary where he underwent emergency surgery and was placed in a medically induced coma, but despite the best efforts of doctors he was certified dead two days later, having suffered “catastrophic” brain damage due to fatal blood loss which led to a lack of oxygen reaching the brain.

‘I’m going to wet you up’

Police launched a murder investigation and spoke to two girls and a teenage boy who were at the house that night where drinks had been consumed.

The three teenagers had tried to separate the two boys and calm Cranfield down, but he pushed one of the girls away before grabbing the knife and “pointing it at Seb”.

She said that Cranfield seemed “fixated with (Seb)” and told him: “I’m going to wet you up.”

The expression “wet you up” is London slang for a stabbing.

She said she heard Cranfield repeatedly tell Seb: “I’m gonna kill you.”

Cranfield told Seb:

“If you don’t pay me (for the smashed glass) I will kill you. Like, I will…stab you up and wet you up.”

The girl saw Seb and Cranfield “on the (kitchen) floor, with glass smashed around them”.

They ended up “face to face” as Cranfield pointed the knife towards Seb’s stomach. She tried to grab the knife from Cranfield, but he told her: “Don’t touch my fxxxxxx knife.”

Police at the scene on Claro Road.

The two boys were still shouting at each other as the fight spilled over into the living room, but then Seb fell silent and was laid out, grasping his chest which was oozing blood.

The girl called 999 and was told by Cranfield to tell the ambulance operator that Seb had fallen onto the knife on the floor and that it was an accident. The two other teenage witnesses went along with this because they thought Cranfield “could kill them” too.

‘This wasn’t meant to happen’

When police and an ambulance crew arrived just after midnight, Cranfield told them:

“It was me. I was scared. Really sorry. This wasn’t meant to happen.”

The court heard that earlier in the evening, Seb, Cranfield and others had been drinking vodka. They carried on drinking at Seb’s grandparents’ house while they were away for the weekend.

Mr Moulson said that following Cranfield’s arrest, police also found a lock knife at the scene which was not used or produced during the incident, but he was charged with a separate offence of possessing a blade.

Seb, a black belt in karate who also played football, was put on life support following the stabbing but died later surrounded by his family.

Mohammed Nawaz KC, for Cranfield, said there was “no doubt” that drink had played a part in his client’s behaviour on the fateful night.

He said that while there was “love and guidance” in Cranfield’s childhood, a “degree of instability” had informed his early life and “that may have impacted on his…life choices that led him to the position that he is in”.

Judge Kearl KC said that Cranfield’s alcohol-fuelled, “spontaneous” act of violence had caused a lifetime of trauma for Seb’s family.

He imposed a life sentence on Cranfield with a minimum term of 11 years, which the teenager must serve behind bars before becoming eligible for parole, less the nine months he had already spent on remand.

Court allows media to name Harrogate boy murderer

A judge lifted reporting restrictions today to allow the media to name a Harrogate boy murderer in the hope it will serve as a warning to other young people about the dangers of knives.

Dylan Cranfield, 17, was found guilty of murdering Seb Mitchell, 17, at Leeds Crown Court by a verdict of 10 to 2 after the jury deliberated for almost 15 hours.

There were gasps in the public gallery when the verdict was announced.

Afterwards, Judge Guy Kearl, the Recorder of Leeds, allowed Cranfield to be named.

He said:

“It’s important getting young people to understand that knives kill. Not just knives that are carried around with them for so-called protection.

“Young people must know that all knives are lethal weapons and can in dreadful circumstances lead to death.”

Cranfield, who was 16 at the time of the incident in February, was not named in reports from the trial until today.

He is due to be sentenced on October 4.

Seb Mitchell. Picture: Sam Mitchell.

Courts have discretionary powers to prevent the media from naming children to protect their welfare. Such orders remain in place until the child reaches 18.

Judge Kearl said the welfare of children had to be balanced against the open justice principle that says the media should be able to report cases “fully and contemporaneously”.

He said the public interest of highlighting the dangers of knife crime meant it was therefore “in the interests of justice to lift reporting restrictions”.

Harrogate Grammar School pupil Seb was stabbed to death with a kitchen knife after a row over a broken mirror at a property on Claro Road in Harrogate.

A police officer outside the home on Claro Road after the incident.

Cranfield pleaded not guilty – he accepted he stabbed Seb, but said he did not intend to kill him.

A teenage girl who witnessed the incident told police Cranfield pointed the knife at Seb and said “I’m going to wet you up”, which the court heard was “London slang” for a stabbing.

Judge Kearl told the court:

“This is not a case in which he took the knife to the scene, but nevertheless a case in which it was picked up and then used, not with a great deal of force.

“But as we know in these courts, you don’t have to use a great deal of force in order to inflict a great deal of injury.”

Seb was taken to Harrogate District Hospital by ambulance, but his condition was so critical he was transferred to Leeds General Infirmary where he underwent emergency surgery and was placed in a medically induced coma.

He died two days after the incident.

Seb Mitchell murder trial: Harrogate boy found guilty

A boy has been found guilty of the murder of Harrogate schoolboy Seb Mitchell.

Seb, 17, was stabbed to death after a row over a broken mirror, a trial at Leeds Crown Court heard.

The jury today returned a majority verdict of 10 to 2 of murder after deliberating for almost 15 hours.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was 16 at the time of committing the crime.

He stabbed Harrogate Grammar School pupil Seb in the chest with a kitchen knife which led to a fatal loss of blood and cardiac arrest.

The teenager pleaded not guilty – he accepted he knifed Seb but said he did not intend to kill him.

The defendant will not be sentenced today. However, the court will reconvene this afternoon in order to decide whether he can be named publicly.

The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Guy Kearl KC, said his age would be taken into consideration, as would the severity of the crime. He told the court:

“This is not a case in which he took the knife to the scene, but nevertheless a case in which it was picked up and then used, not with a great deal of force. But as we know in these courts, you don’t have to use a great deal of force in order to inflict a great deal of injury.”

He died two days after the incident.

Seb Mitchell trial: Murder accused stabbed victim after row

WARNING: The following report contains details which some people may find upsetting.

Harrogate knife victim Seb Mitchell was stabbed to death after a row over a broken mirror, a court has heard.

The incident occurred at a house in Harrogate where the two teenagers became embroiled in a row, a jury at Leeds Crown Court was told yesterday.

The boy accused of Seb’s murder, who can’t be named for legal reasons, stabbed Seb in the chest with a kitchen knife which led to a fatal loss of blood and cardiac arrest.

He appeared for the first day of his trial, expected to last six-to-seven-days, yesterday after pleading not guilty to murder.

Three teenagers who witnessed the horrific incident in the early hours of February 19 this year went to Seb’s aid and called police and an ambulance as he lay barely conscious on a sofa.

Prosecutor Peter Moulson KC said a broken mirror and pane of glass in the kitchen appeared to be the “catalyst” for the fatal stabbing after the boys started arguing and scuffling.

When police arrived, Seb, who was 17, was unresponsive and falling deeper into unconsciousness. Officers found blood stains in the kitchen, living room and a settee, and a red stain on one of the knives from the kitchen block.

Despite the best efforts of doctors, he died two days later.

Police launched a murder investigation and spoke to two girls and a teenage boy who were at the house that night where drinks had been consumed.

The murder suspect, from Harrogate, was brought in for questioning but refused to answer police questions during three separate interviews. He also refused to provide blood and urine samples.

However, he did provide a prepared, legally assisted statement claiming initially that the stabbing was in self-defence and that Seb was the aggressor.

Grabbed knife during argument

The two girls told police that the defendant grabbed a knife from the kitchen and confronted Seb with it during the argument which led to scuffling.

One of the girls said the defendant pushed her away before grabbing the knife and “pointing it at Seb”.

She said:

“We were all trying to hold [the defendant] back.”

She said he seemed “fixated with the [victim]” and that the defendant told Seb: “I’m going to wet you up.”

Mr Moulson said the expression “wet you up” was “London slang” for a stabbing.

Leeds Crown Court

She said she heard the defendant repeatedly saying to the victim: “I’m gonna kill you.”

She saw Seb and the defendant “on the floor, in the corner of the kitchen, with glass smashed around them”.

They ended up “face to face” while the others tried to pull them apart, but the teenager wielding the knife was “still not listening” and was pushing her away.

She said he pointed the knife towards Seb’s stomach. She tried to grab the knife from the defendant, but he told her: “Don’t touch my f****** knife.”

The two boys were still shouting at each other as the fight spilled over into the living room, but then Seb fell silent and was laid out, grasping his chest which was bleeding.

‘Fell on the knife’

The girl called 999 and was told by the teenage defendant to tell the ambulance operator that Seb had fallen onto the knife on the floor and that it was an accident. The two other teenage witnesses went along with this because they thought the defendant “could kill them” too.

The girl, who was “too scared to say what actually happened”, told the call-handler:

“Please be quick. He’s dying. Please. He’s 17. He’s going. He’s just about [breathing] but he’s going.”

In the 999 call – an audio recording of which was played to the jury – the defendant could be heard telling the girl to tell the operator that Seb “fell on the knife”.

Screaming, groans and desperate shouts of “Please, help” could be heard in the background.

The girl told the call-handler:

“He fell on the floor. There was a knife on the floor. We all had a drink. We need an ambulance. He’s bleeding seriously. He’s not responding.”

A male voice can then be heard saying:

“We need [an ambulance] now or he’s gonna die. He’s unconscious; he’s not responding in the slightest. He’s breathing but he’s not there.”

The girl later told police that Seb was backing away from the defendant who was “getting a bit closer” with the knife and “getting louder and louder”.

She said the defendant was acting “like he wanted to hurt all of us in there”, which was “very scary”.

The other girl said she saw the defendant “making jabbing motions” with the blade before stabbing Seb.

She added:

“We were all trying to stop it.

“We were like, ‘You can’t do this, you can’t do this, it’s not worth it’.”

She said the defendant was “waving the knife around, putting the knife to [Seb’s] stomach, jabbing [the blade]”.

“That’s when I looked away and when I walked round the corner there was like a silence… with [the defendant] saying, ‘I’m going to wet you up, it doesn’t take much to put it in you.”

She then heard her male friend shouting: “You actually just stabbed him.”

She said Seb was “really drunk”.

The defendant and another teenager were giving Seb chest compressions in an attempt to revive him.

When police arrived, the defendant told them:

“It was me. I was scared. Really sorry. Everyone here are witnesses. I promise I was just trying to defend myself. You can arrest me. This wasn’t meant to happen.”

Mr Moulson said this was a key part of the prosecution evidence as the boy was no longer saying the victim fell on the knife and claiming it was an accident.

The male teenage witness told police that Seb, a black belt in karate who also played football, was the aggressor initially and that the stabbing was an accident.

He said he saw the two boys wrestling in the kitchen following an argument about the broken glass and then the defendant grabbed a knife and told Seb he would “poke him”.

‘Didn’t intend to kill’

The defendant, who admitted manslaughter at a previous hearing, accepts that he deliberately stabbed Seb but denies murder. He claims he didn’t intend to kill or do really serious harm to the teenager.

The prosecution now has to prove that he intended to kill or cause Seb really serious harm to prove murder.

Mohammed Nawaz KC, for the defendant, said:

“We do not say he acted in self-defence. We accept it was not responsible or proportionate for [the defendant] to pick up a knife in response to what was going on.”

He added, however, that it was the defence’s contention that it was not a deliberate stabbing with intent to kill Seb or cause him really serious harm.

A paramedic who arrived at the scene at about 12.20am said that Seb’s clothes were covered in blood. He was laid on a sofa with a 3cm-long puncture wound to his chest.

The trial continues.

Funeral of Seb Mitchell, 17, to take place on Saturday

The funeral of Harrogate teenager Seb Mitchell will take place this weekend.

Harrogate Grammar School tweeted today the service will be held at Christ Church in High Harrogate at midday on Saturday.

It added:

“We will never forget all that he contributed to the life of HGS.

“Seb’s family warmly welcome all of those who would like to join us in paying tribute to him on Saturday.”

Seb died at Leeds General Infirmary on February 21 — a week before his 18th birthday.

An inquest in Northallerton heard the provisional cause of death was a stab wound to the chest.

A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies murder.

Teenager pleads not guilty to murder of Seb Mitchell in Harrogate

A 16-year-old boy has pleaded not guilty after being charged with the murder of Seb Mitchell in Harrogate.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denied the charge at a hearing at Leeds Crown Court this morning.

It follows an incident on Claro Road in the early hours of Sunday, February 19, where Seb Mitchell, 17, was found at a property on the street with injuries.

He died at Leeds General Infirmary two days later. He would have turned 18 on February 28.

The 16-year-old is due to reappear before Leeds Crown Court on July 7 this year.

Inquest opens into death of Seb Mitchell in Harrogate

The inquest of a young Harrogate man who died after an incident on Claro Road was opened this morning.

Sebastian Henry Mitchell, known as Seb, was found with injuries at a property in the early hours of Sunday, February 19.

The inquest, held in Northallerton, heard he had been taken to Harrogate District Hospital for emergency treatment, before being transferred to Leeds General Infirmary for cardiac surgery.

Mr Mitchell, who would have turned 18 on February 28, died aged 17 on Tuesday, February 21 at LGI.

Opening the inquest, North Yorkshire coroner Jon Heath said the provisional cause of death was a stab wound to the chest, causing a loss of blood and oxygen to the brain.

Mr Heath adjourned the inquest to a date yet to be fixed, while further investigations are carried out and reports are prepared.

Meanwhile, a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is due to appear in court next week in relation to the incident. The teenager was initially remanded into youth custody at York Magistrates Court, is expected to appear at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday.

‘We will carry him in our hearts forever’ — family’s tribute to Harrogate teen Seb Mitchell

The grieving family of 17-year-old Seb Mitchell, who died following an incident in Harrogate, have issued a photograph and a tribute to their ‘beautiful, funny, talented boy’.

Harrogate Grammar School student Seb died in hospital on February 21 following the incident on Claro Road two days earlier.

A 16-year-old boy has been charged in connection with the incident and is due to appear in court again in the near future, North Yorkshire Police said in a statement today.

The police statement included the family’s tribute, which said:

“Seb was our beautiful, funny, talented boy.

“There are no words to describe how we feel now that he has been so cruelly taken from us.

“We will carry him in our hearts forever.”

Police social media plea

North Yorkshire Police also issued a plea urging people not to speculate on the incident.

“We are aware of social media posts naming the boy who has been charged and also speculating on the circumstances of Seb’s death.

“It is really important that nobody does this.

“This is because once someone has been charged with an offence, it is illegal to publish anything that could influence a jury and affect a person’s right to a fair trial. This includes claiming to know what happened or speculating about the circumstances of his death. Publishing includes uploading posts and comments to social media.

“Also, suspects who are under the age of 18 have anonymity in law. Therefore it is illegal to name them on social media as the suspect in a case.

“We would therefore strongly urge anyone who has posted comments or photos naming the suspect in the case or speculated about the circumstances, to remove them urgently.”

Harrogate Grammar School pays tribute to Seb Mitchell

Harrogate Grammar School has paid tribute to a pupil who died this past week.

Seb Mitchell, 17, died following an incident on Claro Road on February 19. He died in hospital two days later.

Paying tribute to Seb, Harrogate Grammar School said it was “impossible to find the right words”.

It linked to a GoFundMe page set up for Seb’s family and urged people to donate.

The school said in a post on its social media:

“Sometimes it is impossible to find the right words. Please donate, if you can, to support Seb’s family to raise funds for a memorial.

“Something to remember and never forget a special young man who loved his family & friends so very much. He will be missed.”

The fundraiser has so far raised £13,975.

The page, which has been set up by Sam Mitchell, said:

Donations will go towards a memorial for us all to remember him by. Any additional funds raised will be donated to a relevant charity (or charities) to be chosen by the family.

We would like to thank you all for all of the kind words and messages we have received and are receiving.

North Yorkshire Police has launched a murder inquiry following Seb’s death.

A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was initially charged with attempted murder on February 20. He is due to appear in court on March 14.

Read more:

‘Every day is felt with sadness, tears and heartache’

Grandmother’s tribute to ‘dearly loved’ Seb

Murder after row over mirror

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‘I’m going to wet you up’

‘This wasn’t meant to happen’

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Grabbed knife during argument

‘Fell on the knife’

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‘Didn’t intend to kill’

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Police social media plea

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