A KILLER who stabbed his friend in the heart and later walked into a police station to ask if he was okay has been jailed for life.

Daniel Smith, 20, was found guilty by a jury on Tuesday of the murder of Jonathan Carr on the evening of July 31 this year.

The pair were described as “the best of friends” and “brothers” during Smith’s trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

A jury was told how Mr Carr, 21, Smith and their friend Steven Morrison had been drinking and taking drugs at Mr Carr’s home on Mayfair Gardens in Deckham, Gateshead.

The defendant and the victim then got into a row at which point Smith picked up a kitchen knife and stabbed Jonathan in the chest.

Smith then fled the address before waking the next day and telling his mother he thought he had stabbed Jonathan.

After getting no answer at the address, his mother took him to a police station where Smith told officers he wanted to know if his friend was okay.

CCTV footage shows Smith going to Gateshead police station 

The court was told how police then forced entry into Mr Carrs home and found him lying dead in the living room of his address.

Smith, of Cotemede, Wardley, was arrested by police and charged with murder.

Footage shown during the trial showed Smith in an agitated state in the hour before he killed Mr Carr.

He was captured on CCTV heavily intoxicated in a local takeaway where he was arguing with staff and his cousin Steven Morrison.

The pair eventually left the shop but further footage was also shown to the jury of Smith assaulting Mr Morrison.

The video shows Smith fighting with his friends before the murder

Both men then visited Mr Carr’s flat before leaving the address a short time later. It was in this “ten minute window” that the 21-year-old was killed.

Smith denied the murder charge but was convicted by a jury.

Now, the father-of-one has been jailed for life with a minimum sentence of 16 years following his sentencing hearing at Newcastle Crown Court.

Detective Chief Inspector Aelf Sampson said: “This is a tragic case for everyone involved and ultimately no sentence would be able to bring Jonathan back to his family.

Mr Carr’s family released a statement, describing him as “a lovely, happy person who was friends with everyone”.

It read: “Jonny was popular and well-liked by his friends. It is such a loss and we miss him every day, his smile and his laugh, it is such a hole in our lives as we will never see him again.”