Cousins sentenced for killing of Steven Willis in Normanby

Three men have been sentenced for their roles in the death of their cousin in Middlesbrough, after a family feud turned violent and led to a fatal stabbing.

Steven Willis was knifed outside his father's home in Middlesbrough shortly after tempers flared during a wake, jurors were told during a three-week trial at Teesside Crown Court.

Prosecutors said Mr Willis was standing up to his cousins as they tried attack his father, John Pickering, when he came out of the property with a samurai sword.

The court was told the 27-year-old was quickly disarmed and stabbed through the heart with a knife, leading to his death on the street on the night of April 16.

On Monday, a jury convicted one of Mr Willis's cousins, Kieran Ibitson, 21, of Beresford Crescent, Thorntree, of murder and wounding with intent.

Two more of Mr Willis's cousins, Dominic Pickering, 23, of Grinkle Avenue, Park End, and Mark Pickering, 32, of Greenham Close, Thorntree, were found not guilty of murder but convicted of an alternative charge of manslaughter.

The pair were cleared of two counts of wounding with intent and alternative charges of unlawful wounding.

Kieran Ibitson's been sentenced to life, with a minimum of 22 years for Steven's murder, while Dominic and Mark Pickering have got 10 years each for manslaughter.

Kieran was also sentenced to 7 years for the unlawful wounding of John Pickering, and 9 years for the unlawful wounding of Lennon Pickering, which will run concurrent.

Two other men, Jahmal Weaver, 22, of Rounton Green, Berwick Hills, and Jack Cross, 21, of Olney Walk, Park End, were cleared of murder, manslaughter, wounding with intent and unlawful wounding.

During the prosecution opening, Richard Wright QC told how the extended family had been at the funeral of Carol Olsen, and trouble flared during the wake at Teesside Bridge Social Club in North Ormesby, which proved to be the catalyst for the later violence.

He said: "The wake was well attended and in particular many members of the extended Pickering family were present.

"They are a large family and a large family with strong connection to Middlesbrough.

"By the end of the evening another member of that extended family, a young man called Steven Willis, would be dead.''

The court heard how much of the family feud revolved around differences between John Pickering and his sister Susan Ibitson, as she did not like his wife.

Mr Wright said the disputes were undoubtedly petty'' but started a chain of events which ended in the death of Mr Willis.

The prosecutor said that, after tempers flared during the wake, the five defendants all went to John Pickering's home, with Ibitson carrying a knife which he used to stab his uncle in the torso from behind.

Ibitson had already pleaded guilty to wounding Mr Pickering with intent.

Following the verdicts, Detective Inspector Mark Dimelow, of Cleveland Police, said:

"Kieran Ibitson was armed with a knife and was intent on causing serious injury to those at this address.

"He had gathered a group together to help him carry out his violence.

"Sadly, as a result, Steven Willis lost his life and his children have lost their father.'