A TEENAGER has been found guilty of murdering his friend at an all-day house party.

Martyn Michael Ford, of Brunel Way, Darlington, stabbed Michael Gatenby five times in the back and shoulder. His left lung and heart were pierced.

Mr Gatenby, 23, was first stabbed while he was kissing a girl on the sofa. He staggered from the house, but was followed by Ford and stabbed repeatedly in the road.

Ford pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but not guilty to murder.

But the jury at Teesside Crown Court was unanimous yesterday in finding him guilty of murder.

When the foreman returned the verdict, Mr Gatenby's family shouted "yes" from the public gallery.

One said: "Thank God for that," and Mr Gatenby's mother began to cry.

Ford will be sentenced in the new year, after a pre-sentence review ordered by Judge Justice Grigson.

Mr Gatenby was murdered on Wednesday, July 12, at a party in the house in Brunel Way, where he was the leaseholder.

He and Ford had been workmates at KFC, in North Road, Darlington.

On the day of the murder, Ford had been drinking heavily at the party.

A witness said he had been "jumping on people, saying he was going to start a fight" during the party, before he went for a drive with friends.

When he returned, Mr Gatenby told him he should not drink any more, and that his friends were not welcome. Moments later, just before midnight, Ford attacked.

Mr Gatenby was kissing a girl on the sofa when he was stabbed in the back. The girl looked up and saw Ford. She thought Ford had punched Mr Gatenby.

On a previous occasion, she told the court: "Michael sat up and said 'What are you doing? You have just stabbed me'."

He staggered out into the road, but was followed and stabbed again, this time in the shoulder. Ford phoned an ambulance and cradled Mr Gatenby, before running away.

Mr Gatenby was pronounced dead soon after at Darlington Memorial Hospital.

Ford was arrested shortly after fleeing the scene.

During his trial, Ford's defence team argued he was too drunk to have intentionally killed Mr Gatenby.

After the guilty verdict, Mr Gatenby's emotional family declined to speak at length. One said simply: "We are just happy with the result."