Man Killed by Twin Brothers Following Drug Dispute, Court Informed

A court has heard that a man, described as “vulnerable,” was killed by twin brothers after they forcibly entered his flat, having felt “ripped off” during an attempt to buy drugs from him. Shane Boxall, 44, suffered an assault at his home on Alaska Street, Hull, shortly before 06:00 BST on April 25, and passed away in hospital two days later. Hull Crown Court was informed that Mr. Boxall, a heroin user, had taken money from twin brothers Kailum and Kieran Nightingale when they sought to acquire Class A drugs from him. The brothers then forced their way into Mr. Boxall’s home and punched him, inflicting fatal injuries. Both individuals have entered pleas of not guilty to the charge of murder, and the trial is ongoing. The jury was informed that Mr. Boxall’s death resulted from a single punch to the head sustained in the twins’ attack. Prosecutor James Bourne-Arton KC informed jurors that the Nightingale twins “barged” into the 44-year-old’s home at approximately 05:45, after which Mr. Boxall locked himself in his bedroom. He recounted that the pair then “smashed the bedroom door down to get to Mr Boxall” before Kailum threw the fatal punch. Defence barrister Peter Makepeace stated that his client, Kailum Nightingale, 26, residing at Poplar Grove, Hull, admitted to attempting to purchase drugs from Mr. Boxall and kicking the door in an effort to recover his money. The barrister contended that Kailum Nightingale had “reasonably struck him to retrieve his stolen money” and “couldn’t have possibly known the consequences.” Mr. Makepeace further claimed that Mr. Boxall was holding a knife while retreating into the bedroom but dropped it upon being confronted by the twins. Testimony in court indicated that subsequent to the strike to his head, Mr. Boxall collapsed to the floor and experienced a seizure. According to Mr. Makepeace, the brothers remained in the living room after the assault and were subsequently compelled to leave the residence by a flatmate. Katherine Goddard, representing Kieran Nightingale, 26, of Vermont Crescent, Hull, informed the court: “No-one says they saw Kieran deliver that fatal blow, nor make any movements to deliver that fatal blow.” In video evidence shown to the jury, Mr. Boxall’s flatmate testified that she observed the brothers “stood on top of Mr Boxall” and heard them shout “I’m gonna kill ya, I’m gonna kill ya” before punching him on the right side of his head. “I saw the look on his face before he got punched and he was so scared,” she recounted in the video evidence. She further detailed how she “got in between the twins and Mr Boxall” in an attempt to protect the 44-year-old, instructing the brothers to “just leave him.” The jury also heard Mr. Boxall characterized as “the nicest person” by his flatmate.