AN ELECTRICIAN was fatally stabbed on his doorstep during a confrontation with a next-door neighbour about noisy DIY.

George Evans was left dying in a pool of blood as his attacker set about creating a false alibi, Teesside Crown Court was told yesterday.

Christopher Hoyland, who lived next door to the 48-year-old, in St Barnabas Road, Middlesbrough, denies murder.

Outlining the background to the killing, Tim Roberts, prosecuting, said Mr Hoyland had launched the surprise attack after he became aggrieved over noise from DIY work Mr Evans was doing on his property.

Entries in a diary recovered by police at Mr Hoyland's home showed he was annoyed at noise coming from the victim's house in the days leading up to the killing.

Mr Roberts said that on November 8, 11 days before Mr Evans died, the accused wrote: "George next door has been pushing me over the edge - the noise."

The prosecution alleged the 42-year-old armed himself with a knife, left his house and went next door with the intention of killing or causing serious harm to his neighbour.

"When Mr Evans opened the front door, the defendant stabbed him fatally in the neck," said Mr Roberts.

"It was, the prosecution submit, a purposeful and aimed thrust. The track of the wound was deep, it severed two arteries and a vein. There was no struggle. There was no signs of defensive injuries on Mr Evans."

The court heard that Mr Evans went back into his home bleeding from his injury but the accused offered no assistance.

Mr Roberts said: "He had no need of further attack. His purpose had been achieved with that single thrust of the knife.

"Christopher Hoyland had launched a surprise attack on his neighbour. He was in control of himself and in control of the situation."

Mr Evans sat down behind a door of his dining room, where he died within minutes from blood loss and shock.

The court heard that Mr Hoyland returned to his house before leaving shortly afterwards to walk his sister's dog as an alibi for the killing.

Later, when questioned by police, Mr Hoyland claimed he could not have been there at the time of the killing because he was walking the dog and people had seen him.

Looking at Mr Hoyland's diary, detectives found further entries made on November 10, reading: "more noise" and November 16: "08.50 George again."

On the day the electrician was killed, another entry was made, the prosecution said, which read: "Gosh I get the blame?"

The jury was told that Mr Evans had lived alone for many years and ran an electrical business, Dawson and Evans, that carried out work on homes across Teesside.

Another next-door neighbour of Mr Hoyland's, Roberta Donaghy, told police he had also complained to her about noise.

In May last year, the defendant pushed a note through her door which read: "For God's sake can't you shut your door with patience?"

A further note in July read: "If I hear that door slam one more time I will take it off its hinges."

Mr Roberts said jeans recovered from Mr Hoyland's house showed traces of blood, which DNA evidence revealed was identical to that of Mr Evans.

Giving evidence, Mr Evans' business partner, Neil Dawson, said Mr Hoyland had also confronted him when he carried out work in the property.

He said: "I went to the front door and there was Hoyland and he was complaining about the noise. He was very aggressive. He was ranting and raving. He was drunk."

Under cross-examination by Mr Hoyland's barrister, Aidan Marron, Mr Dawson said Mr Evans had been having an affair with a woman called Valerie, who was in a relationship with another man.

He admitted Mr Evans had called police concerned over threats to his life because of the relationship.

"He told me a few times that he was concerned," said Mr Dawson.

"He said he would kill him if he found out, but that was just an expression."

The trial continues.