Seaford trial hears how 16-year-old was killed over £20 drug debt
Three boys accused of plotting the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Joshua Ingram in Seaford have appeared in court
Three teenage boys plotted a stabbing attack over a £20 cannabis debt, leading to the fatal injury of 16-year-old Joshua Ingram, a court has heard.
The attack occurred at Seaford railway station in East Sussex on 10th September 2025, when Joshua was stabbed twice by a 16-year-old defendant who has pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of manslaughter.
This defendant is currently on trial at Hove Crown Court for Joshua's murder and is also accused, along with two youths aged 17 and 15, of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent.
Additionally, the 15-year-old is charged with assisting an offender, which the 17-year-old has admitted to.
Rossano Scamardella KC, prosecuting, presented the 16-year-old as a small-time drug dealer who supplied drugs to Joshua in summer 2025 without receiving payment.
Mr Scamardella explained to the jury how the defendants planned the attack, discussing Joshua's whereabouts, methods of assault, and the weapon to use.
Snapchat messages from June 2025 reveal that the 16-year-old called Joshua derogatory names, prompting the 17-year-old to suggest confronting him with violence in street slang.
According to Mr Scamardella, the defendants used street slang terms like "poke", "wet", and "dip" in messages discussing the planned attack.
On the day of the incident, the 16-year-old carried a 19cm-long knife in his tracksuit bottoms and approached Joshua, who was with a friend at the station.
Witnesses reported that the 16-year-old pulled out the knife after identifying Joshua, leading to two fatal stab wounds.
The prosecutor explained the severity of the injuries, stating that the knife penetrated Joshua's heart, leading to his collapse and subsequent death within an hour on the station platform.
After the attack, the 16-year-old fled and handed the weapon to the 17-year-old, who hid it in his bedroom.
Later, the 17 and 15-year-olds attempted to dispose of the evidence over nearby cliffs but were intercepted by police.
Mr Scamardella referred to the attack as "murdered in cold blood", citing weeks of planning by the three defendants.
Joshua's family paid tribute, describing him as a beloved "cheeky chappy" taken "far too soon".
The defendants, who are underage, deny all charges as the trial continues.