A TEENAGER has admitted knifing to death a man during a gang fight outside a friend's house.

John Sargeant, 18, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 23-year-old Craig Stephenson when he appeared in court yesterday.

Sargeant, of Orpington Road, Middlesbrough, had denied murder, and yesterday prosecutors accepted the plea to the lesser charge.

Members of Mr Stephenson's family wept during the brief hearing at Teesside Crown Court as Paul Sloan, prosecuting, explained why the murder charge was dropped.

Another man, 21-year-old Craig Conway, pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon - a knife - during the same incident, in April.

A charge of affray against Conway, of Keith Road, in the Grove Hill area of Middlesbrough, was also dropped.

The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Peter Fox QC, adjourned the case for the preparation of pre-sentence reports and remanded the pair in custody at Castington Young Offenders Institution, in Northumberland. They will be sentenced on October 10.

Judge Fox said: "They are both young men, and Sargeant in particular faces a very serious matter, even though it is not now murder."

Mr Stephenson died shortly after he was found with a knife wound to his chest, in Keith Road, on April 21.

Mr Sloan yesterday told the court that Mr Stephenson and a group of friends had armed themselves before going to the home of Conway.

Mr Stephenson pulled out a knife, prompting Conway and Sargeant to arm themselves. Seconds later, Sargeant inflicted the fatal wound.

Mr Sloan said witnesses had described the thrust as barely being likely to cause serious harm, let alone death.

He told the court: "Sargeant tenders his plea on the basis that he lacked the necessary intent for the offence of murder."