Man, 39, found guilty of murder

A MAN has been convicted of murder after stabbing John 'Bamber' Donaldson to death.

- By ESTHER HALLIGAN [e-mail] @TeessideLive

Andrew Clark, 39, shouted and argued from the dock as the verdicts were read out.

A Teesside Crown Court jury found him guilty of stabbing his long-term friend twice in a row over a mountain bike.

The knife penetrated Mr Donaldson's heart and he collapsed near a friend's home on Lealholm Walk, in Whale Hill, on the evening of November 21 last year.

Mr Donaldson, 34, had used Clark's mountain bike to cycle to Jay's Newsagents on Birchington Road earlier that day to buy lemonade. During Clark's trial, witnesses said they heard Clark shouting: "Where's my f****** bike?" hours after.

The court heard that an angry Clark drove to Bernadette McElvaney's home, on Lealholm Walk, near Birchington Avenue, and repeatedly beeped his horn.

Ms McElvaney's son and Mr Donaldson were inside.

Ms McElvaney said Mr Donaldson went outside to tell Clark to go away - but Clark then attacked Mr Donaldson, who collapsed.