Samuel Baker: Five years since fatal stabbing of Sheffield boy, 15, shocked city

Five years ago, 15-year-old Samuel Baker was stabbed to death on the streets of Sheffield.

This month marks the anniversary of the day his killer, who was also 15 at the time of the stabbing, was sentenced.

He was detained for two years and eight months after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

He was initially charged with murder, but the Crown Prosecution Service accepted his version of events - that he was defending himself and it was Samuel who had been carrying the knife which ultimately killed him.

Mr Justice Nicklin, the judge who sentenced the teenage killer, described the fatal stabbing as "another senseless death caused by knife crime".

He said: "Your case represents a story that is too often repeated in cities and towns throughout our country.

"Samuel Baker is dead for one simple reason - young men, some still boys, carrying knives."

The court heard that both Samuel and his killer were street level cannabis dealers.

They had been involved in an altercation a few months earlier and when they clashed in Lowedges in May 2018 the consequences were catastrophic.

A serious case review into the incident established that Samuel had been exploited by gangs operating in the city after falling out of the education system.

"He was controlled by older associates, and thus exploited. The vulnerabilities of his young age, an unstable home life and lack of education provision all contributed to his exploitation through gang culture," the report found.

Samuel moved to the United Kingdom from Bermuda at the age of 11 in the summer of 2014, initially living with his adult sister and three older siblings.

His mother was fleeing an abusive relationship, and joined Samuel in the UK with the rest of his family later on in 2014.

The report said his involvement with gangs led to an ‘escalating involvement in crime’ which included drug dealing and involvement in incidents including a ‘drive-by shooting’.

Providing a family victim impact statement on the day Samuel's killer was sentenced, Samuel's sister, Terrasha, said they could not forgive him.

She described the stabbing as "barbaric", "savage" and "beyond traumatic".

"His death cannot be justified. It's inexcusable," she added.

Terrasha said Samuel was not a "bad teenager" and that the family knew a "different side " to him.

At an inquest into Samuel's death, Senior Coroner David Urpeth said that there were ‘numerous missed opportunities’ by South Yorkshire Police and agencies run by Sheffield City Council to intervene and try and help him before he died as result of his involvement in crime.

He said: "Samuel was undoubtedly let down by the organisations that could have and should have protected him. His death is a tragedy for him and for those he left behind."