Sean McHugh was just 19 when he was stabbed to death in a Liverpool laundrette by a gag of 'baby-faced killers', he had left his home to carry out the most mundane of tasks, he needed to do his washing. But within six minutes of absolute terror the 19-year-old had been brutally murdered in a frenzied knife attack. What made the gruesome crime even more shocking was that his killers were baby-faced assassins - some as young as 13. The reason for their violent murder of Sean - his postcode.
Sean and his pal, Josh Williams, were making their way to the Liver laundrette in the Anfield area of Liverpool on September 30,2013. On the way to the laundrette the pair bumped into a gang of five boys on the road outside. The lads, some as young as 13, were members of the Lanehead Gang.
Sean, who lived in neighbouring Walton, was believed to have friends in the rival Walton Village Heads gang. Rivallry between the two had reached boiling point in the months leading up to Sean's death when 14-year-old Lanehead, Keyfer Dykstra was stabbed in a fight. He survived and became one of the five who knifed Sean to death with a sword.
As soon as the five Laneheads spotted Sean, they chased him into the laundrette and cornered him in the back room. The gang had picked up an antique sword and even when Sean managed to flee the laundrette, they pursued him stabbed him in his groin severing his femoral artery.
Local journalist John Siddle said: "It was six-and-a-haf minutes of sheer terror, what must have been going through his head, knowing that he was trapped like that and there were these yobs, armed and trying to get at him, God only knows." Sean was found with horrendous stab wounds by a police officer and rushed to hospital. He died four days later in hospital.
Former Det Chf Insp Clive Driscoll says the only reason Sean was stargeted by the gang was because of where he lived. He added: "The people who Sean would of hung out with would have been members of the Walton Village Heads, that's why he was targeted for reprisal. "Thee only reason he was attacked was because he was from Walton - he was picked on merely because of his postcode."
Sean was murdered by four young boys: cousins Andrew Hewitt, 15 and Corey Hewitt, 14 but who was 13 at the time; Joseph McGill, 14, also 13 at the time and Keyfer Dykstra, 14 who were found guilty of his murder. The 'Laneheads' gang "leader" Reese O’Shaughnessey, 19 was also found guilty of Sean's murder following a murder trial.
The murderers were dubbed the 'baby-faced killers' but even during the court case, the youngsters refused to take responsibility for the killing. During the trial they laughed, joked and constantly disrupted the procedings. Their behaviour in court was described as "like they were on holiday".
John Siddle said: "They were laughng and joking and smirking, they were tossing paper at one another. "One of the boys who was on bail was actually remanded into custody during the trial because of his conduct." Gang leader Reese O’Shaughnessey was jailed for a minimum of 18 years for the murder. He was carrying the sword stick and while it was never proven who struck the fatal blow that killed Sean, evidence was heard that he had been the one to stab him.
Corey Hewitt was the second youngest member of the gang at just 13 at the time of the murder. He hadn't been violent towards Sean but had been part of the gang who chased him. He witnessed the stabbing and even picked up the murder weapon after O’Shaughnessey dropped it. The prosecution argued this was so he could conceal it. He was jailed for a minimum of six years.
Andrew Hewitt was 15 when he was jailed for nine years. He had been part of the attack from the very beginning. Keyfer Dykstra was 14 at the time of the attack and was jailed for 12 years. Described by the prosecution as "Reese O’Shaughnessy's second in command on this occasion", Dykstra arrived at the Anfield launderette armed with a knife. Joseph McGill was the youngest member of the gang at just 13. He was jailed for nine years.
Sean's murder rocked the close community, of which he was a popular member. More than 1,000 people attended his funeral.
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