'Predator' found guilty of alleyway murder

Jason Hale was found guilty of attacking a man at the same spot two nights before the murder

A "predator" who stabbed a man in the chest in an alleyway has been found guilty of murder.

Jason Hale, 37, attacked Sheldon Jameson between Apley Road and Whitburn Road in Doncaster two days after stabbing another man at the same spot.

A member of the public found Mr Jameson, 42, on the morning of 19 September 2024 and he was pronounced dead despite paramedics' efforts to save his life.

CCTV footage showed Hale loitering around the alley on the nights of the attacks, leading him to be referred to as the "lurker in the shadows" during the trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

Officers found a knife during searches of the local area, and Hale told detectives he had tried to discard part of another knife down a toilet.

Hale agreed it was him on the CCTV on the night of the murder, telling officers he had stabbed Mr Jameson in self-defence.

Sheldon Jameson was taken to hospital after being found injured but later died

The victim of the first attack came forward after Mr Jameson's death, saying he had been stabbed in the abdomen days before by a man matching Hale's description.

Hale denied any part in this attack, but was found guilty of attempted robbery and assault.

"What became apparent throughout our investigation was that Hale was a predator and our communities are safer with him behind bars," Det Ch Insp Tom Woodward of South Yorkshire Police said.

After the guilty verdict was returned, he added: "I hope today brings some sort of closure to all those who loved Sheldon."

A jury found him guilty of murder after just three hours of deliberation, following a two-week trial.

He will appear at Sheffield Crown Court for sentencing on 16 October.

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