A MAN found guilty of murdering an asylum seeker was on bail for hacking another man with a machete, it emerged yesterday.

Steven Roberts, 18, plunged a knife into Iranian Peiman Bahmani's chest, puncturing his lung.

The stabbing happened after racial tensions between asylum seekers and local people erupted into violence in Peel Street, Hendon, Sunderland, on August 28 last year.

Yesterday, a jury at Newcastle Crown Court found Roberts guilty of murder and assault. He also pleaded guilty to a charge of affray.

The judge, Mr Justice Henriques, sentenced him to life, with a concurrent sentence of two years for assault and two- and-a-half years for affray.

After the verdict, the jury was told that at the time Roberts committed the murder he was on bail for a machete attack on a man celebrating his 21st birthday in Edinburgh.

Two other men were tried for crimes relating to the clash with the Iranians.

Joseph Rutherford, 23, of Gray Road, Sunderland, was found guilty of affray, relating to an incident leading up to the killing, but not guilty of assault. His case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports.

Gavin Gash, 27, of Hedworth Street, Sunderland, was cleared of assault and affray.

The judge directed the jury to find all three defendants not guilty on a charge of racially aggravated assault.