Scarborough man convicted of Hull murder
35-year-old Steven Cawthorn died in 2017 following a fight in Hull in 2017
Last updated 8th Nov 2022
A Scarborough man's been found guilty of murdering a man in Hull five years ago.
35-year-old Steven John Cawthorn was stabbed in the back during a fight in the city in 2017.
He later died in hospital.
45-year-old Barzan Sadoun from Hoxton Road, Scarborough (pictured below) has been convicted of murder and violent disorder.
A second man also found to have caused death of Steven Cawthorn.
Seyid Moisawi, who's 46 and from Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester, has been found to have committed the acts in the fight that left Steven with a fatal stab wound to the back on 26 July 2017.
A third suspect in the case, 34-year-old Urdi Taha, remains wanted for murder and violent disorder, and is believed to have fled abroad immediately after the incident. Humberside Police are working with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and foreign office around the opportunities of extradition.
A fourth man, Christopher Young, age 38, of HMP Leeds pleaded guilty to violent disorder at an earlier hearing.
On the afternoon of Wednesday 26 July 2017, we received a call that five men were fighting outside a property on Leonard Street just off Beverley Road in Hull.
The call reported that the men had weapons, namely pieces of wood and sticks, and were repeatedly hitting each other with them. One of the men is alleged to have run into a flat and returned with a large kitchen knife, chased Steven and stabbed him in the back, as he ran away.
Steven Cawthorn fell to the ground and was critically injured. Sadoun and Moisawi continued to assault Steven with sticks whilst he lay on the ground.
Tragically, despite the best efforts of everyone, Steven died from his injuries in hospital that night.
Speaking after the verdict, Officer in the Case (OIC), Detective Sergeant Sam Cunnington, said: “The court case and outcome has been a long time coming for Steven’s family, and although I know they will never be able to make peace with what happened that day I hope that this verdict will bring an end to the uncertainty.
“My thoughts remain with them through what has been an extremely difficult five years. They have been in Court every day, and have been a credit to Steven's memory, and have assisted the legal proceedings greatly.”
Steven’s mum Sue gave an emotional statement, “Stevie’s death has left a huge void in our lives. I have suffered the devastating loss of my son; his sisters have lost their brother; and our family has been turned upside down by his murder.
“Since his murder in July 2017, we have all struggled with his death and without the support of my family and friends I honestly don’t know how I would have coped.
“Being suddenly thrust into the criminal justice system while grieving for your loved one is something I would not wish on anyone, but I want to thank everyone involved in the investigation as they have done everything they could to bring those responsible for Stevie’s death to justice.
“The trial has been very difficult for us all. It’s brought back a lot of pain and it’s been very difficult to hear the details of what happened to Stevie.
“I want to thank those courageous people who first helped Stevie as he lay critically injured. They were with him when I could not be and gave him comfort and help in his final hours.
“The staff who tried to save my Stevie’s life in hospital were true heroes too. They did everything they could to save his life and I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart for everything they did. They tried everything they could to save my son’s life.
“Stevie loved the outdoors and was never happier than when he was playing football, he was hardworking and so practical, helping people whenever he could. We will miss him every day.”
Senior Investigating Officer (SIO), Detective Chief Inspector Grant Taylor, said: “This incident understandably shocked the local community due to the level of violence displayed by all of those involved."
“Steven’s life shouldn’t have ended that day and the actions of those involved will never be forgotten by his loved ones."
“My team and I remain committed in our bid to get Steven’s family the justice they deserve with the outstanding suspect, and I would like to thank them, and the public who provided crucial evidence for our investigation, for their dedication, assistance and support."
“I hope the verdict today serves as a stark warning to anyone who involves themselves in acts of violence, no matter their part, we can and will always endeavour to bring those responsible to justice and put them before a Judge and jury."
"We would ask that if anyone has any knowledge of the whereabouts of Urdi Taha that they contact Humberside Police or Crimestoppers in order to assist with the picture we are building in order for us to bring him back to face justice."
Sentencing is due to take place in early December.