Man guilty of stab murder over parking dispute

Alder Willis was found guilty of murdering Andrew Darn at Newcastle Crown Court

A sandwich shop worker has been found guilty of murdering a man from a neighbouring business after a long-running dispute over a parking space.

Andrew Darn died at the Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate, in North Shields, North Tyneside, in March.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that the 35-year-old was stabbed by Alder Willis, with whom there had been tension since 2010.

Willis, 68, of Allanville, Newcastle, was found guilty of murder and possession of knife following a two-week trial. He will be sentenced at a later date.

Emergency services were called to the business park at about 08:40 GMT on 27 March where they found Mr Darn with a single stab wound to his chest.

Members of the public performed CPR until paramedics arrived but the victim, of North Shields, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Northumbria Police said Willis fled the scene but later handed himself in at Middle Engine Lane police station with the kitchen knife used in the attack.

Andrew Darn died after he was stabbed in the chest by Alder Willis

The police said the dispute between the two men began over a parking space at two neighbouring business premises.

An altercation during the previous day led to Willis returning to work on the day of the murder with a knife in his pocket, the force said.

Willis claimed he had acted in self defence after being punched by Mr Darn.

He claimed he attacked Mr Darn with a knife he had been using to unpack stock and described the incident as a "tragic accident".

Judge Paul Sloan KC told him "there is only one sentence for murder and that is a sentence of life imprisonment".

Det Ch Insp Katie Smith, of the Northumbria force, described the case as "truly tragic".

"Today, a man has been found guilty of murder but no conviction or any length of sentence will ever bring Andrew back," she said.

"There is never any justification for carrying a knife, or any weapon, but for Andrew’s death to come as a result of a disagreement over something as trivial as parking is truly reprehensible."