Two Preston men guilty of stab murder after party fight

Two men have been convicted of murdering a man stabbed to death in the street following a fight at a party.

Lee Dawson, 42, had been asked to leave the party after punching Benjamin Bibby in Preston on 17 June, Lancashire Police said.

Bibby, 21, and Andrew Wilcock, 29, also left and armed themselves with knives then chased Mr Dawson before stabbing him in Jutland Street, police said.

Robert Cross, 34, who joined in the attack was convicted of manslaughter.

Bibby, of Dawson Walk, Preston, and Wilcock, of Lincoln Walk, Preston, who both denied murder, were found guilty after a three-week trial at Preston Crown Court.

Cross, of Milner Street, Preston, was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter.

Kerry Metcalfe, 39, of Dawson Walk, Preston, was found guilty of assisting an offender in relation to the killing.

Stuart Brown, 37, of Dawson Walk, Preston, was cleared by the jury of murder and manslaughter.

Bibby, Wilcock, Cross and Metcalfe will be sentenced on 14 February.

Police said Mr Dawson's killing happened after he was asked to leave a party at Driscoll Street after punching Bibby in the face.

Bibby and Wilcock had left the party, armed themselves with knives and covered their faces, before returning to the area, police said.

They confronted Mr Dawson in the street and swung their knives at him, before being joined by Cross shortly afterwards who was in the area.

The pair chased and stabbed Mr Dawson several times as he reached Jutland Street, with a 6in (16cm) wound to the chest proving fatal.

Det Ch Insp Mark Haworth-Oates said: "This was a cowardly, senseless attack led by Bibby and Wilcock who planned, waited and executed a brutal attack on Mr Dawson."

In a tribute, Mr Dawson's family have described him as "a big friendly giant" with "a strong heart and stronger head".

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk