A “happy-go-lucky” British student, Danny Castledine, was fatally stabbed near a canal in Amsterdam, an inquest has revealed. The assistant coroner concluded that the 22-year-old was unlawfully killed due to multiple stab wounds.
Mr. Castledine was attacked in June 2022 while in the Dutch capital with a friend on their way to a music festival in Belgium. According to the Nottingham Coroner’s Court, he sustained 44 stab wounds near the Singel canal. Coroner Nathanael Hartley attributed the cause of death to “multiple stab wounds.”
His sister Chloe attended the inquest alongside their parents, describing Danny as a vibrant individual who loved to travel and simply wanted to “enjoy his life.” She remarked, “It’s a shame his life ended in the way it did in a foreign country.”
“He just wanted to go out and have a good time. Everyone loved him; no one had a bad word to say about him. He trusted everyone and assumed everyone was out for a good time like he was.”
During the hearing, it was noted that in January, a Belgian national known as Nongo B was convicted of manslaughter in the Netherlands and sentenced to 14 years in prison. Detective Constable Gina Farrell of Nottinghamshire Police stated that Mr. Castledine became separated from his friend after 1 a.m. and was last seen walking around the city center.
“It is believed he encountered the defendant between 1:40 a.m. and 2:12 a.m.,” she added. Following this, a confrontation occurred where the attack took place, and Mr. Castledine was dragged down the stairs to a basement flat.
While one hypothesis suggested a robbery attempt, there was no evidence to support that claim. Mr. Hartley indicated that Mr. Castledine suffered “severe blood loss” from a stab wound to the neck, with other injuries potentially contributing to his death.
Detective Constable Farrell reported that a male was found with blood matching Mr. Castledine’s and mentioned that the defendant may face a retrial.
Reflecting on her son’s life, Mr. Castledine’s mother expressed her frustration about his laid-back nature during his lifetime but acknowledged her gratitude for the joy he experienced in his short time on earth. “It was almost like he knew he had to pack everything into 22 years,” she said.
Credit: Sky News
