Man who 'knifed Brit tourist' in Amsterdam faces 14 year sentence

A Belgian man accused of fatally stabbing a British tourist in Amsterdam's city centre is facing up to 14 years in jail.

Danny Castledine, a 22-year-old student at Leeds Beckett University, met a tragic end less than 24 hours after arriving on a weekend trip with his friend in the popular European destination on June 1, 2022.    

The student from Nottinghamshire was found with 30 stab wounds and 14 lacerations, having suffered a violent attack in the early hours of the morning. 

Dutch prosecutors on Friday pushed for a harsh sentence for 24-year-old suspect Nongo B., who was allegedly captured in security footage walking with Castledine along the banks of the Singel canal moments before his death. 

Investigators revealed that Nongo was found to have ingested a large quantity of drugs upon his arrest and had traces of Catledine's blood on his clothing and shoes, leading police to connect him to the crime scene.

Footage revealed by investigators reportedly showed an intoxicated Castledine with Nongo around 2.12am.  

The pair were then captured by CCTV by the Singel some 30 minutes later, where Nongo is said to have carried out a savage attack with a blade.

He is said to have dragged Castledine's body to the roadside in an attempt to dispose of evidence before fleeing the scene.

Castledine's body was discovered by horrified revellers around 3.30am, prosecutors said.

Paramedics were called to the scene but were unable to revive the Englishman.  

Heartfelt tributes to Castledine poured in weeks and months after his death.

The student, who was in his final year at Leeds Beckett University at the time of his death, was described by his devastated family as a travel enthusiast who had explored 23 countries in his lifetime.

His family recalled Danny's passion for holidays, music festivals, and fashion.

'Danny had a long list of places that he wanted to visit in the future. One of those was to the Bahamas to swim with pigs. His ambition was to work on and promote music festivals as a career, and probably live abroad,' a statement said.

'When back at home in Mansfield, he would be out with his schooldays friends, and fitting in shifts at McDonalds to fund his extravagant lifestyle. 

'He also had a major passion for fashion, and thought nothing of spending large on designer gear, from t-shirts to trainers.'

A fundraising page set up by Danny's ex-girlfriend, Ashleigh Hufton, aimed to raise awareness about the devastating impact of knife crime and provide funds for victim support. 

The initial goal of £2,400 was surpassed in just four hours, leading Hufton to increase the target to £15,000.

The total raised currently stands at £14,820.