Lee Clarkson: Man and 17-year-old boy found guilty of 'mistaken identity' Bishop Auckland murder

A man and a 17-year-old boy have been found guilty of murdering a man in his own garden in a case of "mistaken identity".

Lee Clarkson was killed at his home on West Lane, in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, on 29 November last year.

Michael Richardson, 52, and a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were found guilty of murder at Teesside Crown Court.

The court was told how Mr Clarkson, 41, had been dragged into his front garden and beaten before being stabbed three times.

He died a short time later, with his cause of death being confirmed as blood loss from two of the stab wounds.

Following an investigation by Durham Constabulary, five people were originally arrested and charged with murder.

Michael Richardson, 52, Karl Jones, 45, Helen Jones, 43, Craig Dent, 42, and a 17-year-old boy denied the charges and underwent a seven-week trial.

On Monday 15 July, the jury found Richardson, of Boddy Street, Bishop Auckland, and the 17-year-old boy guilty of murder.

Karl Jones, of General Boucher Court, Bishop Auckland, was found guilty of manslaughter but acquitted of murder.

Dent, of Gray Street, Bishop Auckland, was also acquitted of murder and had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Helen Jones was found not guilty of all charges.

After the verdicts, Mr Clarkson's family spoke of their heartache at losing their loved one and enduring the long trial.

They said: "The fact Lee was murdered was bad enough, but these people could have taken responsibility from the day they were arrested, which would have prevented us having to listen to the final moments of Lee’s life at the trial.

"This has been unbearable at times we are broken hearted, and no words can explain the pain and torture that we have gone through.

"There are no words to describe the pain, which we all feel, but we hope that the justice served will hopefully give us some comfort knowing the people responsible for the murder of our Lee can't harm anyone else."

The police investigation found the attackers had not intended to target Mr Clarkson that evening but instead set out to find Mr Clarkson's lodger, Simon Blacklock, who Richardson believed was responsible for two alleged burglaries on his house and shed.

On the night of the attack, the group armed themselves with a knife, a baseball bat and a machete and headed to the address, the court heard.

Richardson made several calls to Dent and the teenager earlier in the day, including just minutes before the attack. In a police interview, he claimed these calls were likely to be about his ferret and polecat breeding.

The three men and the teenage boy smashed the windows and back door of the address in West Lane.

Mr Clarkson heard what was going on and rushed upstairs to warn Mr Blacklock, who subsequently jumped out the window and ran off.

As the group stormed in, they grabbed Mr Clarkson and dragged him out of the house into the front garden. He was then stabbed, kicked, and punched.

The teenage defendant admitted stabbing Mr Clarkson twice but claimed he did not mean to cause him serious injury.

Dent also admitted hitting him with a baseball bat but said he could not remember what happened as he had taken drugs.

The court heard the group fled the scene back to a red Land Rover Freelander, which was parked nearby, as Mr Clarkson was left dying.

Neighbours of Mr Clarkson called the emergency services and rushed to help him, but his injuries were too severe.

Detective Superintendent Andy Reynolds, Senior Investigating Officer, said: "We believe this was a case of mistaken identity.

"Lee Clarkson wasn’t the target that night – he was an innocent party in this incident. This was a brutal attack on an innocent man in his own home.

"The group were intent on seeking retribution that night, they armed themselves with weapons and forced their way into Lee Clarkson’s home. Since the devastating attack they have continued to deny or attempt to downplay their involvement.

"I am delighted the jury have seen through these lies and hope Lee’s family can take some consolation in the justice that has been administered today."

Richardson, Jones, Dent and the 17-year-old boy will be sentenced at Teesside Crown Court on 11 October.

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