Teenager jailed for life for murdering boy over £20 debt

A 17-year-old boy has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 14 years for the murder of 16-year-old Joshua Ingram. The attack occurred on September 10, 2025, at Seaford railway station in East Sussex.

The defendant, whose name cannot be released for legal reasons, used a 19cm blade hidden in his clothing to kill Ingram following a dispute over a £20 drug debt. During the trial at Hove Crown Court, defense counsel noted that the teenager had adopted a ‘faux gangster persona’ due to online influences, describing the behavior as ‘rather pathetic’ and reflective of immaturity.

While the defendant initially pleaded guilty to manslaughter, a jury found him guilty of murder. In a victim impact statement, Joshua’s mother, Yvette Bullen, described her son as a kind and caring young man and highlighted the devastating consequences of teenage knife crime.