A teenager has been found guilty of murdering 16-year-old Joshua Ingram over an unpaid £20 cannabis debt. Ingram was attacked with a 19cm (7.5 inch) combat-style knife at Seaford railway station in East Sussex on 10 September 2025, and a jury at Hove Crown Court convicted the 16-year-old on Wednesday after two days of deliberations.
The boy, who cannot be named because of his age, had previously pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of manslaughter, describing the incident as a
"tragic and reckless moment". He was also found, alongside two other boys aged 15 and 17, not guilty of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm with intent.
The 15-year-old boy was found guilty of assisting an offender, which the 17-year-old had previously admitted to.
Court heard that in June 2025 the 16-year-old sent a Snapchat message using an expletive and homophobic language saying Joshua owed him
"a £20 sheet". Another Snapchat message from the teenager, read to the court, said
"Josh will perish"if he did not pay the debt, adding:
"That's a fact and he knows this."
What did the court hear about the debt?
The court heard that the dispute began in June 2025, when the 16-year-old messaged on Snapchat to say Joshua owed him a £20 sheet. The message included an expletive and homophobic language.
A further Snapchat message, also read to the court, warned that
"Josh will perish"if he did not repay the debt, with the teenager adding:
"That's a fact and he knows this."
Who else was involved in the case?
Two other boys, aged 15 and 17, were also before the court. The 15-year-old was found guilty of assisting an offender, while the 17-year-old had previously admitted to that offence.
All three boys were found not guilty of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm with intent.
What has happened in earlier related cases?
There is no genuinely related background item from the provided material that should be linked to this case.
Key Facts
- Joshua Ingram was 16 when he was killed.
- The stabbing happened at Seaford railway station in East Sussex on 10 September 2025.
- The weapon was a 19cm (7.5 inch) combat-style knife.
- The murder conviction was returned at Hove Crown Court after two days of deliberations on Wednesday.
- The case involved an unpaid £20 cannabis debt.
