TWO men are starting life sentences for the murder of a North-East man after a judge told them "drug warfare" would not be tolerated.

Richard Petty, 34, from Billingham, near Stockton, was stabbed to death over £80, Teesside Crown Court heard yesterday.

Mark Pearson and Joseph Tingle will serve a minimum of 18 years for the murder.

Pearson stabbed former convict Mr Petty seven times in the lounge of the flat he shared in Melsonby Court, Billingham, on the afternoon of March 25.

A day earlier, Mr Petty had "taxed" £80 from Mark Fairweather - a street dealer who sold heroin around his neighbourhood for Pearson and Tingle.

The court heard that within seconds of entering the flat, Pearson had stabbed his victim several times. One wound pierced his heart and another punctured a lung.

Tingle, who accompanied Pearson to Mr Petty's flat, claimed at his trial last month that he did not know his accomplice had a knife and would not have gone along if he did. However, he was found guilty after the prosecution said he was the "team leader" in a joint enterprise.

The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Peter Fox, said: "The community will not tolerate warfare between drug dealers that degenerates into well planned and determined lethal violence, which this was.

"Pearson, you must have intended your victim's death, at least, when you struck the fatal blows, but yours was not the motivating initiative, Tingle that must be down to you."

Pearson, 28, of High Street, Redcar, admitted murder, while Tingle, 23, of St James House, Stockton, was convicted following a seven-day trial.

After the sentencing, Mr Petty's brother James, said he was relieved the case was over.

He said: "A crime of that nature deserves a sentence which is fitting.

"I am relieved more than anything and I'm quite surprised that I don't feel anything for either of them. I'm happy with the sentence, but nothing will bring my brother back. These two will be able to speak to their families, friends and girlfriends, but we will never be able to talk to Richard again.

"He was no saint, but no one deserves to die the way he did."

Detective Inspector Andy Greenwood, of Cleveland Police, said: "This sentence will give the family some sort of closure and allow them to move on with their lives.

"It shows that society will not tolerate this type of behaviour."