Two Preston men convicted of Lee Dawson’s murder in Deepdale

Two Preston men have been found guilty of the murder of Lee Dawson in Deepdale last year.

Lee, 42, suffered fatal stab wounds after being attacked in Jutland Street in the early hours of 17 June.

Benjamin Bibby, 21, of Dawson Walk, and Andrew Wilcock, 29, of Lincoln Walk, were convicted of murder by a jury at Preston Crown Court after a three-week trial.

Robert Cross, 34, of Milner Street, Preston was found guilty of manslaughter but cleared of murder.

Kerry-Ann Metcalf, 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 Metcalf were remanded in custody pending sentence by Judge Simon Medland KC, on Tuesday 14 February.

Lee’s killing followed a party at an address in nearby Driscoll Street, one Lee had been asked to leave 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.

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

Lee was chased and attacked as he reached Jutland Street, suffering a number of a knife wounds – a 16cm wound to the chest cavity proving fatal.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Haworth-Oates of Lancashire Police’s Force Major Investigation Team, said: “We welcome the jury’s verdict.

“This was a cowardly, senseless attack led by Bibby and Wilcock who planned, waited and executed a brutal attack on Mr Dawson.

“Hopefully the convictions bring a feeling of justice for Lee’s family. My thoughts are with them at this time and we will look forward to the sentencing to bring the case to a close.”