THREE family members have denied assisting an offender to conceal a murder weapon.

It arises from the conviction of Luke Garner, who, as a 16-year-old, took part in the killing of David Scott, in South Moor, Stanley, County Durham, in December, 2012.

Garner and friend George Keane, also 16, attacked the father-of-two in the rear of Rose Avenue, in the early hours of December 23.

Their subsequent trial was told that Garner went looking for Mr Scott following an earlier confrontation, taking his friend with him for support.

They wrestled him to the ground and the 33-year-old victim was stabbed five times with a knife, which was never found.

Mr Scott later died in Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary from his injuries.

Garner told Keane not to tell anyone what had happened, but just hours later, he confessed to a friend: “We’ve just stabbed Dave.”

Both teenagers, from Stanley, were subsequently convicted of Mr Scott’s murder, after a trial at Newcastle Crown Court, and were given indeterminate prison sentences.

But each was told they would each have to serve at least 14 years behind bars.

Garner, now 18, has admitted conspiring to pervert the course of justice, over efforts to prevent the murder weapon being discovered.

But his mother, Claire McQueen, her father Gordon McQueen, and her partner John Wright, each denied the offence, said to have been committed between the date of the murder and March 8, last year.

Following their ‘not guilty’ pleas, during a short hearing at Durham Crown Court, 36-year-old Claire McQueen, and Mr Wright, 56, both of Hillside Gardens, and 56-year-old Gordon McQueen, of Heather Way, all Stanley, were bailed to return for trial starting on March 9.

Garner, who remains behind bars, will be sentenced at the conclusion of their trial.