Grantham man who stabbed friend 51 times in row over tablet guilty of murder

A National Grid employee who stabbed his friend 51 times after accusing him of stealing his work tablet has been convicted of his murder.

Nicholas Ward, 38, attacked 38-year-old Tony McDermott at Ward's home in Eton Street, Grantham, after becoming convinced he had taken the device and another belong to his daughter.

The violence erupted after a night of drinking and taking drugs on 14 October last year, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

A witness reported hearing Ward shout at his victim that he would lose his job, which he had recently started, if his work tablet was not returned.

Police later found the tablets in a bag belonging to Ward.

Det Ch Insp Jennifer Lovatt, of the Lincolnshire Police and the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: “Ward’s actions were completely and utterly unnecessary, and brutal. Ward’s belief that Tony had stolen from him, which then prompted such anger, had no foundation whatsoever."Had he checked his own bags properly, and listened to his friend who both denied stealing from him and pleaded with Ward to believe him, Tony’s family would not be without their loved one today."

The court heard the attack started at around 12.40am and lasted for around two hours.

Police were called at 4.21am about the incident and arrested Ward a short time later walking past McDonald’s with blood on his hands and clothes.

He admitted killing his friend but claimed he had lost control because he believed Mr McDermott had stolen his property. He also claimed he had acted in self-defence.

Ward denied murder, but was found guilty after a two-week trial. He will be sentenced on 2 May. Det Ch Insp Lovatt added: "I would like to pay tribute to Tony’s family for their strength in getting through what was a very difficult trial to listen to.

"It is finding justice for victims like Tony that we come to work for, and I hope that today his family will be able to start looking to the future and how that may now look without him.”

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