A TEENAGER is due in court this morning accused of stabbing his stepfather to death.

Nineteen-year-old Christopher Hodgson was arrested after Steven McIntyre, 37, suffered fatal stabs wounds in the early hours of Saturday.

Emergency services were called at about 12.30am and found Mr McIntyre in the front room of a house in Austen Place, South Stanley, County Durham, lying in a pool of blood.

He was taken to the University Hospital of North Durham, Durham City, where he was pronounced dead.

Ross Ridley, 19, of nearby Carvell Place, said: “I saw an ambulance arrive. The next thing we knew there was five or six police cars, with three or four vans and a paramedic arriving after that.

“It was really quiet at that time in the morning and you could hear a pin drop but I didn’t hear any screams or shouting or anything like that.”

Grandmother Jean Daglish, 61, also of Carvell Place, said: “My son lives two doors away from the family and they know them.

“He called me at about 9am and said the street was cordoned off and he couldn’t get out.

“It’s very sad and a shame that this is the sort of world we live in. This is terrible news.”

An incident room has been set up and 24 detectives have been working on the case, including several from the major crime team.

The house was cordoned off and a forensic examination was carried out on Saturday along with house-to-house inquires.

Acting Detective Superintendent Paul Goundry is still appealing for people with information to come forward.

He said: “We believe this incident happened entirely in the house at Austen Place.

“If anyone who was in the area and saw or heard anything which could help with the investigation I would urge them to contact us.”

A 37-year-old woman and a 17-year-old girl were also arrested but have been released with no further action being taken.

Mr Hodgson, who was charged with murder yesterday afternoon, is due to appear before magistrates this morning, but police would not reveal last night which court he would be taken to.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0345-60-60-365.