Five men given life sentences for murder of Scarborough man
Five men have been jailed for the murder of a 26-year-old man in Scarborough.
Last updated 19th Feb 2021
Five men have been jailed for the murder of a 26-year-old man in Scarborough.
The gang must serve a minimum of almost 100 years in total before they can be considered for release.
At around 2am, on Sunday 20 October 2019, Stefan Selvage 19, Dawid Goral, 21, Callon Brass, 22, Kieran Watkinson, 19, and Stevie Low, 23, stabbed Solomon Robinson in a joint attack on St Nicholas Street before fleeing the scene.
Mr Robinson was rushed to hospital where he died around three hours later after a single stab wound to his back left him with un-survivable injuries.
North Yorkshire Police say within hours they had made a number arrests in connection with the incident. The five were subsequently charged with Mr Robinson’s murder.
Selvage, of Colescliffe Road, admitted murder the day before the trial and was today (Friday 19 February) jailed for life. He will have to serve a minimum of 15 years before he can be considered for release.
The other four denied murder, but, following a four-week trial at Leeds Crown Court, they were found guilty of murder on Friday 5 February and also handed life sentences today (Friday 19 February).
Detective Superintendent Fran Naughton, Senior Investigating Officer of the investigation, said:
“This was an appalling act of premeditated violence and our thoughts remain with Mr Robinson’s family as they attempt to come to terms with their devastating loss. I would like to praise them for behaving with nothing but dignity, despite the court proceedings being very distressing at times.
“After carrying out the brutal attack, the group fled the scene – leaving Mr Robinson for dead on the pavement. Their actions were cowardly and cold, and they have proven themselves to be dangerous individuals who have rightly been taken off our streets for a significant amount of time.
“We will not tolerate violence of any kind and will continue to use every tactic at our disposal to put violent offenders before the courts. I hope the outcome can offer Mr Robinson’s loved ones some comfort that justice has been served.
“I’d like to thank the Scarborough Borough Council CCTV operators who alerted us to people carrying knives in the area and helped us to collect significant evidence. Thank you also to the many members of public and witnesses who provided Mr Robinson with first aid immediately after the attack or provided information and evidence as part of the investigation.”
“Lastly, I hope the sentence handed out sends a strong message to anyone who chooses to carry a knife. Just because you are not the one holding the weapon, it doesn’t make you any less responsible if damage is done because of it.”
The court was shown Snapchat footage that was captured just hours before the fatal stabbing which shows the group at a party together where drugs, knives and a large amount of money can be seen.
CCTV footage was also shown which captured the group walking through the town together before arriving to the area where Mr Robinson was stabbed. The group are all wearing the same clothing as in the Snapchat footage.
Police say further shots show what appears to be several dark figures fighting in the darkness in front of the town hall, with at least three of the figures brandishing a knife, before running away. Mr Robinson can be seen staggering away before collapsing on the floor.
Police were called to the scene and arrived within two minutes. When officers arrived, they found Mr Robinson laying on the floor bleeding heavily.
He was rushed to hospital by ambulance with an 11-inch-deep single stab wound to his lower back. He was given emergency surgery but sadly died at about 5am after suffering “catastrophic” bleeding.
A victim impact statement written by Mr Robinson’s mother was read to the court at the sentencing hearing detailing the pain and suffering the family had suffered since his death.
She said:
“Solomon’s death has destroyed my family, it has simply crushed our souls and I doubt the family can ever be the same again.“
She described how listening to the final moments of Solomon’s life with her husband at the trial had been unbearable at times and that no words can explain the pain and torture that they are going through.
The family statement ended with some words from one of Solomon’s little sisters who described Solomon as having a “heart of gold who would help others before himself.”
She said:
“There are no words to describe the pain, which we all feel, and that justice being served will hopefully give us some sort of light to help heal us.”
- Selvage, of Colescliffe Road, was sentenced to life imprisonment and must serve a minimum of 15 years before he is considered for release.
- Watkinson, of Endcliff Crescent was sentenced to life imprisonment and must serve a minimum of 18 years before he is considered for release.
- Brass, of Eastborough, was sentenced to life imprisonment and must serve a minimum of 21 years before he is considered for release.
- Goral, of Durham Street, was sentenced to life imprisonment and must serve a minimum of 21 years before he is considered for release.
- Low, of Longwestgate, was sentenced to life imprisonment and must serve a minimum of 23 years before he is considered for release. He was also sentenced to three years and six months for being concerned in supply of a controlled drug of Class A. which is to be served concurrently.
North Yorkshire Police say the group now begin custodial sentences (less the time already spent on remand in custody for each defendant which ranged between 460 days and 486 days).