A MURDERER who stabbed a father to death in front of his young son had a history of violence, a court heard.
Alexander Layton plunged a 12-inch kitchen knife into James Stokoe while he was sitting in his BMW following a road-rage row in May last year.
Teesside Crown Court heard the disturbing history of the 34-year-old’s criminal record for robbery and violent attacks on his own mother.
Peter Makepeace QC, prosecuting, told the court Layton was convicted 15 times for 22 offences in the past.
"The first offence of violence on his record was in 2008 for robbery and then again in 2015 when there were three offences of common assault and battery.
"The robbery appears to have taken place in Amsterdam and resulted in his first and only sentence of imprisonment for three months," he said.
Mr Makepeace then dealt with the assaults on his mother which included pushing her to the ground after throwing an ornament in her direction and branded her 'worthless' and told her 'he couldn't wait for her to die'.
He added: "She was sleeping on the defendant's bed when she awoke to find the defendant holding a pillow over her face for a few seconds before lifting it up.
"He said she had not got him what he wanted from the shop and he wanted to 'break her neck and spine'."
Layton, of Shackleton Close, Thornaby, was sentenced to 21 years and 162 days in prison after being convicted of murder.
He plunged a kitchen knife into James Stokoe while he was sitting in his BMW following an argument when the driver was forced to slam the brakes on his car when he walked in front of his car.
The 34-year-old claimed that Mr Stokoe threatened to 'cave his skull in' before launching the violent attack on Trenchard Avenue, Thornaby, at around 2.20pm on May 15 last year.
A jury convicted him of murder after less than three hours of deliberation.
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