A ‘vile’ adolescent was sentenced to 17 years in prison for viciously stabbing a ‘courageous’ parent to death while trying to shield his teenage daughter. Upon going to the private residence of the girl in Blackpool and demanding to just meet his 16-year-old child, Levi Westhead, an 18 years old man, stabbed Mark Webster, the 50-year-old father, a number of 12 times.
After Mark Webster’s relatives described their absolute agony in their victim impact testimonies at Preston Crown Court today, the criminal rolled his eyes as a sign of not caring. ‘Infatuated’ Levi Westhead was already in a toxic relationship with the girl over almost 17 months, sending her hostile texts and emails and threatening her to commit suicide.
The judge noted that, in an attempt to contact her, he wrote her up to 300 texts and missed calls every day and established false social networking identities. He grabbed himself a carving knife on the evening of July 23, 2021, and attempted to push his way into her home with the goal of violently harming her.
Her dad, on the other hand, denied letting him through the front entrance. Levi Westhead then proceeded to the backyard of the home, when he brawled with Mark Webster in the garden and cut him in the upper torso many times. He was apprehended shortly after the incident when he was discovered hiding in a nearby yard.
He maintained he attacked Mark in self-defense, but the judge was unmoved, and on January 28 this year, he was convicted guilty of the crime. Mark Webster, also known as Web, was described as a “genuine guy and a real hero” who sought to defend his child from an “evil, dominating, harassing” teenager during his sentence today at Preston Crown Court.
As survivor testimonies from Mark Webster’s distraught spouse Michelle, his daughter, and his 12-year-old son were delivered, Levi Westhead, wearing a red polo shirt, groaned and rolled his eyes in disgust.
Judge Medland said as he handed down a life sentence with a minimum of 17 years, “This was an appallingly sad event which should never have happened. Mark Webster’s murder has robbed his immediate family of their father figure, and principal breadwinner. He was a much-loved and very caring man for whom nothing seemed too much trouble.
He died protecting them. The loss suffered by Michelle Webster and her family is irreparable. The reality is that no sentence any court could ever impose could equal the value of Mark Webster’s life. Therefore I do not endeavor today to attempt that impossible feat. Rather, I endeavor to impose a sentence that is proper in this particular case on these particular facts.”
