A JURY has convicted one man of murder and cleared another at the end of a trial lasting almost a fortnight.
Peter Gilling, 39, was found with serious injuries outside Melsonby Court flats in Billingham in the early hours of Saturday, September 29, last year.
He had been stabbed five times and was later pronounced dead after being taken to James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.
Darren Willans, 31, pictured above, and co-accused Derek Pallas, 36, both denied murder and have been on trial at Teesside Crown Court for the last 13 days.
A jury of six men and women women found Pallas guilty after deliberating for more than ten hours over three days.
It is expected that Pallas, of Marsh House Avenue, in Billingham, will be sentenced by Mr Justice Lavender later on Thursday afternoon.
The men blamed one another for the death of the former Billingham Campus School pupil.
Boxer Mr Willans, of Warren Court, Hartlepool, was found not guilty of murder and manslaughter, and was discharged.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article