Tributes paid to 'fun-loving' Leeds student stabbed to death in Amsterdam on way to Belgian music festival

Danny Castledine, 22, was going into his final year studying Events Management at Leeds Beckett University when he was repeatedly stabbed and killed after becoming separated from friends while visiting the Dutch capital.

He was described by his heartbroken family as someone who loved going on holiday and travelling, with a dream of working to promote music festivals.

Speaking to the YEP, his mum Alison, said: “He was very much out for living and any opportunity to be out with friends or going on holiday he absolutely loved travelling. We had just been on a Caribbean cruise the month before and he was in Amsterdam on his way to a music festival in Belgium.

"His aim was to promote and organise music festivals abroad once he had graduated. He was just the most laidback, easy going, fun-loving young man who just loved life.”

Alison alongside Danny’s dad and sister are now raising funds in an effort to raise awareness of knife crime both at home and abroad. Statistics released by the support group Murdered Abroad show that every week, more than one British citizen is murdered abroad.

Danny's friends and family completed a 10 mile charity walk in July and a GoFundMe page set up in Danny’s name has raised over £14,000.

“We don’t want his death to have been in vain and anything we can do to help anyone whether they are going down that path themselves or someone who has been affected the same as we have,” Alison said.

“If we can help spare anyone the nightmare that we are going through. Knife crime is just rampant at the moment and every time I read a newspaper or watch the news there is at least two or three stabbings.”

The family have now teamed up with the The Ben Kinsella Trust and their # StopKnifeCrime initiative which aims to tackle knife crime through the education of young people and campaigning.

Alison added: “We’ve got to do something to stop people thinking that they need to carry a knife.”