Killer stabbed man after stolen e-bike row

Ruddock killed his victim in a seconds, the trial heard

A killer who stabbed a man to death with a knife from a barbecue set following a row over a stolen e-bike has been found guilty of his manslaughter.

Lloyd Velasquez, 34, died in hospital after being attacked by Ben Ruddock in Ellesmere Port on 1 May 2024.

Ruddock, of Great Sutton, Ellesmere Port, who had asked Mr Velasquez to meet him in a park after earlier altercations that evening, was found not guilty of murder but convicted of manslaughter after a 15-day trial at Chester Crown Court.

The 20-year-old is due to be sentenced on 24 March.

Cheshire Police said the stabbing took place at about 20:20 BST and earlier in the evening Mr Velasquez and a woman went to collect an e-bike from Ruddock at his home, which they believed was stolen from their friend, leading to an altercation.

They took the e-bike but Ruddock, of Kendal Drive, sent many threatening voice notes to the woman aimed at Mr Velasquez.

"Ruddock armed himself with a knife from a barbecue set and told Lloyd to meet him at a park," police said.

About an hour later the killer brandished the knife at Mr Velasquez, after he got out of his car on Hollybush Way to confront Ruddock and two other men.

Lloyd Velasquez had altercations with Ruddock three times before he was killed

Mr Velasquez received more threatening voice notes and after a further "altercation" with Ruddock he was fatally stabbed, the court heard.

Cheshire Police said Ruddock fled to Merseyside after changing his bloodstained clothes at home and leaving the knife in his garden.

He was arrested the next day, along with the two men who were with him at the time but they were released with no further action.

Det Insp Andrea Price said: "What happened on the evening of 1 May 2024 was entirely avoidable.

"Ruddock chose to arm himself with a knife and made continued threats towards Lloyd.

"The incident itself was over in a matter of seconds – and this should serve as a warning of the dangers of knife crime.

"Instead of owning up to what he had done, he chose to flee Cheshire."