TWO youths are due to be sentenced this morning for affray in connection with the death of Luke Jobson.

The popular 22-year-old engineering student went missing following a night out in Yarm last January when he tried to flee a potential violent confrontation.

Edwin Taha, of Lavender Way, Norton, entered his plea of guilty to affray before his trial was opened at Teesside Crown Court last month.

The Northern Echo: Edwin TahaEdwin Taha

At an earlier hearing, a court heard how the 20-year-old was accused of squirting pepper spray into the eyes of Mr Jobson after the gang caught up with him near Yarm School following a chase along the High Street.

Ali Abdulmajieed, of Corvus Drive, central Stockton, also changed his plea to guilty before a jury was sworn in to hear the case.

The 19-year-old was the driver of the car which was used to pursue Mr Jobson as he ran away and attempted to escape the gang.

The charges against Ryan Alpay, 19, of Duneside, Elm Tree, Stockton, and Hammad Asif, 18, of Osborne Road, Stockton, were not to be pursued by the Crown Prosecution Service.

A teenager, who was 17-years-old at the time of his sentencing so cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced on Wednesday, June 24 after pleading guilty affray.

The Northern Echo: Luke JobsonLuke Jobson

The five youths were initially arrested after Mr Jobson's body was recovered from the River Tees near Yarm School a few days later after a comprehensive search of the area.

Taha and Abulmajaieed are due to be sentenced at 10.45am.