The senseless murder of a teenager over a £20 cannabis debt has shocked the community in East Sussex, with a 16-year-old boy on trial at Hove Crown Court accused of Joshua Ingram's fatal stabbing. The incident, which occurred on 10 September 2025 at Seaford railway station, has raised disturbing questions about the prevalence of knife crime among young people and the devastating consequences that can arise from drug-related disputes.
Prosecutor Rossano Scamardella KC informed the jury that the defendant, a small-time drug dealer, had supplied Joshua with cannabis in summer 2025 for which he had not been paid. The court was told that the three defendants, who cannot be named due to their age, had “plotted and planned the attack” on Joshua, including discussing where he lived, how to carry it out, and what weapons to use – all allegedly stemming from the outstanding £20 debt.
Evidence presented to the court included messages exchanged between the defendants. In June 2025, the 16-year-old allegedly sent a Snapchat message using expletive and homophobic language, stating Joshua owed him “a £20 sheet.” The 17-year-old reportedly responded, “Let’s ride out,” a phrase the prosecution explained as slang for confronting someone with violence. By August 2025, further messages between the 16-year-old and 15-year-old allegedly discussed the attack plan using terms such as ‘poke,’ ‘wet,’ and ‘dip,’ which the court was told were slang for stabbing.
On the day of the attack, the 16-year-old reportedly arrived at Seaford with a 19cm knife concealed in his tracksuit bottoms. He approached Joshua and a friend at the railway station, tapping the friend on the shoulder and asking, “Is that Josh?” before producing the knife. The friend reportedly shouted a warning to Joshua as the 16-year-old stabbed him twice. Scamardella stated that “Joshua stood no chance” due to the blade’s sharpness and the force used, combined with the speed of the attack from behind, which left him no opportunity to defend himself. Joshua died within an hour of the stabbing, before he could be transported to hospital.
Following the attack, the 16-year-old fled, placing the knife in a bag with clothing. He then took the bag to the 17-year-old’s home, where it was hidden in his bedroom. Later that day, the 17-year-old and 15-year-old attempted to dispose of the bag over cliffs but were intercepted by police. The 17-year-old has pleaded guilty to assisting an offender, while the 15-year-old denies this charge. All three defendants deny conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. The trial continues at Hove Crown Court.