A MAN who killed his friend after wrongly believing he had stolen from him has been found guilty of murder.
Tony McDermott, 38, was stabbed and beaten by Nicholas Ward for two hours during the attack in Lincolnshire in October last year.
Mr McDermott — who sustained 51 knife injuries, including 11 stab wounds — succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
"Ward's actions were completely and utterly unnecessary, and brutal," said Detective Chief Inspector Jennifer Lovatt from Lincolnshire Police.
"Ward's belief that Tony had stolen from him, which then prompted such anger, had no foundation whatsoever."
Multiple stab and slash wounds
Ward, 38, of Eton Street, Grantham, Lincolnshire, carried out the brutal assault at his shared house in the early hours of October 14 last year.
After a night of drinking and taking drugs, Ward started to believe that Mr McDermott had stolen his work tablet and another electronic tablet used by his daughter.
A witness reported hearing Ward shout at his victim during the assault that he would lose his job if his work tablet was not returned.
Mr McDermott — who the Journal reports is the son of mother and baby home campaigner Maria Arbuckle — repeatedly denied taking the tablets but Ward did not believe him.
The brutal attack began shortly after 12.40am and lasted for around two hours, during which time Mr McDermott tried to leave several times but was prevented from doing so by Ward.
The tablets were later recovered by police in a bag belonging to Ward.
Mr McDermott sustained 51 knife injuries in the attack (Image: Lincolnshire Police)At 4.21am, police received a report of a man having been found with serious injuries at a house in Eton Street.
Emergency services arrived and found Mr McDermott had sustained multiple stab and slash wounds and other injuries all over his body.
The father-of-six was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
Ward was located and arrested a short time later with blood on his hands and clothes, which was later forensically tied to Mr McDermott.
After three days of interviews, Ward produced a prepared statement claiming he could not remember what had happened and that he could not assist the police.
However, he was subsequently charged with murder and remanded into custody.
At trial, Ward admitted killing his friend but maintained that he lost control because he believed Mr McDermott had stolen his work tablet and also claimed he had acted in self-defence.
However, the judge ruled that there was a lack of evidence for the jury to consider loss of control and the jury similarly rejected his self-defence claim.
Despite pleading not guilty, he was convicted of murder on Friday following a two-week trial at Lincoln Crown Court and will be sentenced on May 2.
'Sustained and cruel'
DC Lovatt said Mr McDermott's death could have been avoided if Ward had only listened to his friend.
"Had he checked his own bags properly, and listened to his friend who both denied stealing from him and pleaded with Ward to believe him, Tony's family would not be without their loved one today," she said.
"This attack was sustained, and cruel.
"I would like to pay tribute to Tony's family for their strength in getting through what was a very difficult trial to listen to.
"It is finding justice for victims like Tony that we come to work for, and I hope that today his family will be able to start looking to the future and how that may now look without him."
