Wolverhampton Manslaughterer Sentence Increased to Nine Years

Jovarn Esterine, 18, had his sentence increased from seven to nine years by the Court of Appeal after being involved in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Harleigh Hepworth in a Wolverhampton park in March 2024. Esterine was convicted of manslaughter, carrying a bladed weapon, and robbery, with the stabbing carried out by an accomplice who received a life sentence for murder. During the attack, Esterine restrained Harleigh's friend at knifepoint, threatening to kill him unless he handed over his phone passcode, before fleeing the scene with the accomplice. The Solicitor General, Lucy Rigby KC MP, referred the case to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, condemning the brutal violence and emphasizing the government’s intolerance for such crime. Harleigh's family expressed their grief, highlighting that they will never see him grow up due to the senseless violence. Esterine also has previous convictions for theft and other offenses, which were considered in the appeal decision to increase his sentence.