A MAN from County Durham who murdered his friend in a prolonged, vicious attack with a machete must serve at least 24 years in prison.

Robert Askew subjected David Teague to repeated violence during a psychotic episode after voluntarily taking drugs, particularly amphetamine to which he had suffered adverse reactions to on previous occasions.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that 33-year-old Mr Teague and his partner’s daughter, Chloe Richardson, went to Askew's home in Esh Winning on Saturday, April 24.

Jurors were told Askew turned on Mr Teague with a machete and a kitchen knife after becoming convinced he wanted to steal his cannabis plants.

The 35-year-old held Mr Teague and Miss Richardson against their will for several hours whilst causing multiple injuries to Mr Teague including him being stabbed, punched, kicked and suffering six fractured ribs.

Askew had pushed furniture up against Miss Richardson, taken the battery from her phone and removed a handle from a door so she could not escape during the ordeal.

He had also jumped on a table to cut her leg with the machete.

The attack ended when two of Askew’s friends visited the house, in Wood View, and emergency services were called.

Miss Richardson was able to escape through a window.

Despite attempts to revive Mr Teague he died at the scene after losing a considerable amount of blood, inhaling vomit and possibly suffering a collapsed lung.

The Northern Echo: David Teague died after an incident inside a house in Wood View, Esh Winning, County Durham, in April 2021

The jury unanimously found Askew guilty of murdering Mr Teague and also of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and false imprisonment of Miss Richardson.

In a sentencing hearing today, the court heard that Askew had 57 previous convictions for 119 offences including violence and possession of weapons.

Judge Alison Foster told Askew that whilst she accepted he had had a “very troubled childhood” and was suffering a drug-induced psychosis at the time of the attack, she did not believe his mental disability cast any meaningful doubt on his intention to kill.

The judge gave Askew a life sentence, with a minimum term of 24 years in prison, for murder and concurrent custodial sentences of four years for false imprisonment and three years for assault.

Judge Foster paid tribute to Miss Richardson for giving evidence with “poise and dignity” to “ensure justice was done”.

And she thanked Criag Dixon, who had called 999 and entered Askew’s house whilst he still held the weapons to attempt CPR on Mr Teague.

“You did the right thing Mr Dixon, thank you very much,” she added.

The court heard that Miss Richardson had found the ordeal "harrowing", was struggling to come to terms with witnessing the killing of her mother's partner of two years and that she still suffered nightmares and screams out in her sleep.

In a victim impact statement, she said: "After I managed to escape I was arrested and kept in custody many hours until police realised I was a victim and had done nothing wrong." 

And Mr Teague's family said they were heartbroken and would never get over losing the placid lad and much-loved dad-of-three, who was originally from Stockton.

 

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