A MAN who stabbed a teenager to death after a drink and drugs binge was jailed for life on Tuesday.

The trial of Sean Matson,20, was in its fifth day and the prosecution had just ended its case when he changed his plea.

Matson had denied murdering 17-year-old Chris Cave and claimed he could remember nothing of their fight in June because he had drunk six litres of cider, vodka, and had taken diazepam.

But his barrister, Neil Davey, told Teesside Crown Court that Matson changed his plea after hearing evidence from others at the scene and those he spoke to after the stabbing.

Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Peter Fox, said that Matson had violently and repeatedly stabbed the teenager to death "without the slightest provocation or any possible acceptable excuse."

He told the defendant: "You should know that although it is said with force that you might not have committed this dreadful crime if you had not been affected by drink and drugs, that provides you with no excuse whatever. Neither does it reduce your responsibility for the killing."

Mr Davey had told the court that Matson, of Langthwaite Walk, Redcar, had a long history of alcohol and substance abuse. On the night of the killing, Matson had gone to the home of Chris's best friend, Danny Armstrong, in Burnmoor Close, Redcar, and threw stones at the window, demanding cannabis.

When Mr Armstrong said he no longer smoked the drug, an argument started. Matson left, armed himself with a large knife, and returned a short time later.

The jury heard that Matson waved the knife and said "You're not so hard now, are you?" before stabbing Chris four times - once through the heart.

Mr Davey told the judge that Matson was not inherently evil but someone who suffered a mixture of disbelief, shock and concern when he was told the victim had died.

Det Sgt Dave Turnbull, of Cleveland Police, said after the case: "Chris Cave's death was unnecessary. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time."