© Mirror, UKSean 'Shorty' McHugh
- Sean 'Shorty' McHugh was hacked to death in a Liverpool launderette
- Gang of five teenagers as young as 13 attacked him in a 'revenge' fight
- Ringleader Reece O'Shaugnessy, 19, with IQ of an 11-year-old, jailed for life
- Four others sent to jail for between six and 12 years
- Sean's mother says their family has been ripped apart by his death
- She said: 'The night they killed my son, they might as well killed me too'
The gang proceeded to kick the back door of the shop open where Sean was hiding before he was stabbed to death. CCTV issued by Merseyside Police of Sean McHugh, 19, as he ran into the laundrette to hide. The gang members follow Sean into the laundrette where he tried to hide from the group of teenagers
After the killing, one of the gang members posted on Facebook: 'RIP Shorty - we always knew ye was a p***y''. Today five teenagers were jailed for a total of 54 years between them.
Sean McHugh, 19, was chased and murdered by the five knife-wielding youths for straying on to their 'turf' to do his girlfriend's washing at a launderette.
The gang members follow Sean into the laundrette where he tried to hide from the group of teenagers.
The next morning Keyfer Dykstra, 14, who was on police bail and had flouted a curfew to take part in the attack, posted on his Facebook page: 'RIP Shorty - we always knew ye was a pussy.' One of the boys asked: 'That kid dead haha?' Mr McHugh, nicknamed Shorty for his 5ft 6in frame, died four days later.
In May, Dykstra, with drug dealer Reese O'Shaughnessy, 19, Joseph McGill, now 14, and cousins Corey and Andrew Hewitt, now 14 and 15, were found guilty of his murder. Yesterday O'Shaughnessy, who inflicted the fatal wound, was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 18 years. McGill received a minimum of nine years, Dykstra, 12, Corey, nine and Andrew, six.
Judge Clement Goldstone told the gang, who had to be reprimanded for laughing and joking in the dock, that they had committed a 'truly wicked' act. He added: 'Whatever sentence I pass on you . . . the real life sentence is that which you have imposed upon Sean McHugh's family.' He also lifted the younger boys' right to anonymity to expose the shocking crime.
The backgrounds of the five boys paint depressing, but all too familiar pictures of disaffected youths in inner-city Britain. All grew up on run-down terraced streets and smoked cannabis, drank, played violent computer games and terrorised shopkeepers. Carrying knives, the judge said, was 'part of their way of life'.
The Facebook page of Andrew Hewitt has pictures of him drinking beer aged 12 with boasts about drug use, racist comments and remarks about hating the police.
Liverpool Crown Court heard the killing in Anfield, Liverpool, on September 30 was intended to be a revenge attack for an earlier incident, although police saw no evidence Mr McHugh was in a gang. CCTV captured O'Shaughnessy unsheathing a 2ft sword before stabbing Mr McHugh in the right thigh.
Weapon: This sword cane was also used in the attack but it is not clear who struck the fatal blow.
He said: 'These were feral youths who didn't intend to kill, but set out to cause harm and now they must pay the penalty.
Family Of Dead Boy Say They Have Been Torn ApartThe court heard from Sean McHugh's mother Lorraine, who said in a victim impact statement: 'The night they killed my son, they might as well have killed me too.Sean's mother Lorraine McHugh outside Liverpool Crown Court
'My other two sons have been taking medication for the loss of their younger brother.
'I rarely go out without ending up in floods of tears. Me and his dad never thought we would be burying one of our sons.
'We knew he was well liked but didn't know how much until the funeral.
Sean's mother Lorraine McHugh and his girlfriend Stephanie Crawford, 17, outside Liverpool Crown Court
'All we have is memories, I can't sleep, I can't face going back to work, I can't go to the shops without breaking down.
'I hope the defendants realise what they've done and get what they deserve.'
Sean's girlfriend Stephanie Crawford said: 'Sean being taken away from us has ruined so many lives. His big smile kept me going and he never had a bad bone in his body.
'This has ruined my life. I was with him 24/7. His mum would always say we were like a married couple.
'He had a very close relationship with his mum and used to ring her every night to say, 'I love you'.
'Lorraine will never be the same again.'
Gang Members Who Killed Rival Were Troublemakers With Low IQs
The court heard the attack was to avenge the stabbing of Dykstra two months earlier by the rival gang.
Dykstra was already on bail for other offences when he committed the murder and three months earlier had received a conditional caution for threatening behaviour; Andrew Hewitt was subject to a sixth month referral order imposed in June 2013 for possession of a pocket knife and McGill had received two reprimands some years earlier for common assault and battery.
O'Shaugnessy was on bail after being arrested 10 weeks earlier with cannabis worth £3,960 and £1,500 in cash. He also admitted possession with intent to supply.
The defendant, who had an IQ in the bottom five per cent for his age group, told officers he began dealing drugs after being 'kicked off the dole'.
McGill, who gave a knife to Dykstra before the attack, came from a 'good' family but had an IQ in the bottom four or five per cent for his age group with 'very limited intellectual functioning' the court heard and looked up to O'Shaugnessy. Dykstra had 'deep-seated' problems with ADHD and was used for fights by the gang because of his size though his mother, out of despair had 'pathetically begged' the authorities for help with him.
Andrew Hewitt was assessed as having 'very low intelligence' comparable to a child aged seven, had a fascination for knives, did not attend his special school and led an 'aimless' life.
Corey Hewitt was the only defendant never to have been in trouble before, though he had an 'extremely low' range of intellectual function and was easily led, the court heard.
Since being in care he has been described as polite, likeable, well-behaved and an 'exemplary pupil.' The judge added: 'It speaks volumes, doesn't it, for a structured upbringing?'
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