A 16-year-old boy has been acquitted of murdering fellow teenager Shayne Hambakachere, who died after being stabbed in Chippenham on 31 January 2026. A jury at Bristol Crown Court returned not guilty verdicts on both murder and manslaughter charges after almost 12 hours of deliberation, following a nine-day trial that began on 10 August 2026.
Shayne, 16, suffered his injury during a meeting arranged to resolve a dispute over stolen cannabis. He had gone to an alleyway to confront the other boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, and was stabbed once in the chest despite being unarmed. He died in hospital the day after the attack.
What did the trial reveal about the attack?
Prosecutors told the court the stabbing had been captured on a mobile phone and characterised the assault as "ruthless and remorseless", according to a regional broadcaster's coverage of the case. A witness account presented to jurors described Shayne as "alone and unarmed" at the moment he was struck. A post-mortem examination found the single wound had entered the left side of his chest and penetrated his heart, according to the same regional broadcaster's report.
The defendant told the court he had acted out of fear of being attacked himself. He is quoted as saying:
"My intention was not to kill."
Court records also show the case against him initially proceeded on suspicion of grievous bodily harm with intent before he was re-arrested and charged with murder, according to a Wiltshire news report. The jury that decided his fate comprised eight men and four women, the regional broadcaster's report added.
What happened in court when the verdict was read?
The defendant showed no visible emotion as the not guilty verdicts were delivered. Reaction from the public gallery was markedly different, with some observers shouting in anger and others in tears; one person was seen forcing open a door before leaving the courtroom.
How does this case fit with other recent teen stabbing trials?
The case is one of several involving teenagers accused of fatally stabbing other young people to reach British courts this year. In a separate case, a 16-year-old boy was convicted of murdering Joshua Ingram over an unpaid £20 cannabis debt at Seaford railway station in East Sussex. In Glasgow, two teenagers were acquitted of murdering 15-year-old Amen Teklay, who was stabbed in March 2025, after one raised a self-defence claim similar to the one made in the Chippenham case.
What happens next?
Before the trial began, an earlier hearing had set the case down for a next appearance on 20 May 2026 ahead of the eventual start date of 10 August, according to a regional broadcaster's earlier report. The boy had been remanded in youth detention following an initial appearance at Swindon Magistrates' Court, after Shayne was taken to Southmead Hospital in Bristol following the stabbing. Reports following the verdict indicated further court proceedings connected to the case were still expected.
Key Facts
- Shayne Hambakachere, 16, was stabbed on 31 January 2026 in Chippenham and died in hospital the next day.
- A 16-year-old boy was found not guilty of both murder and manslaughter at Bristol Crown Court.
- The jury of eight men and four women deliberated for almost 12 hours before reaching its verdict.
- A post-mortem found a single stab wound to the left chest had penetrated Shayne's heart.
- The defendant told the court his "intention was not to kill."
