3 found guilty of killing Stockton man in drugs dispute
Three men have been convicted of killing a 26 year old in Stockton, in a drugs dispute.
Last updated 1st May 2025
Three men have been convicted of killing a 26 year old in Stockton, in a drugs dispute.
Lewis Bell was "hunted down" and stabbed in the back last September - in a case connected to a crack cocaine den - Teesside Crown Court heard.
Sean McLeod - who's 23 - was found guilty of murder, and 26 year old Liam Matthews and 18 year old Ashton White were found guilty of manslaughter.
They will be sentenced on 19th June.
A statement from Lewis Bell's family reads:
“As a family we are devastated we have lost a much-loved father, son, brother and uncle.
“Lewis was killed in the most brutal and heartless way. We hold all three males convicted responsible for his murder despite the convictions of two of them for manslaughter.
“All of our family have suffered as a result of the actions of his killers. Having to sit through the trial and listen to the details of his murder is the hardest thing we have ever done.
“We hope that the convictions of his killers today would bring some form of closure, however we will never get over the loss of our Lewis and we now must re-build our lives without him. We will miss and love him every day.”
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector David Glass from Cleveland Police, said:
“I am satisfied with the convictions handed to Liam Matthews, Sean McLeod, Ashton White and Macauley Wright today.
“Lewis Bell did not deserve to die. This was a pre-planned, sustained attack by a gang who chased him down with weapons in the street. They inflicted a number of stab wounds, one of which was fatal, and they left him to die.
“Macauley Wright, who assisted the others in fleeing the scene and disposing of the evidence is also rightly answering for these crimes today.
“The death of Lewis has had a huge impact on his family, and I’d like to thank them for their support throughout this complex investigation. While today’s outcome won’t bring Lewis back, I do hope that it provides them with some form of comfort.
“I’d also like to thank those witnesses who came forward to help and importantly the investigation team and Crown Prosecution Service staff who have worked tirelessly over the last six months to secure these convictions.
“Knife crime can have a devastating impact on families, and this should serve as a stark reminder that carrying a knife is illegal and too often leads to tragic circumstances. Cleveland Police and our partners continue to work within our Communities to ensure that this is not tolerated.”