A TEENAGER has appeared in court accused of stabbing his stepfather to death.

Christopher Gordon Hodgson, appeared before Consett Magistrates’ Court yesterday, accused of murder.

The 19-year-old was arrested following the death of Steven McIntyre, who was found lying in a pool of blood in the front room of his home in Austen Place, South Stanley, County Durham, in the early hours of Saturday.

An ambulance crew was called at the house at about 12.30am and then police were called to the scene.

Thirty-seven-year-old Mr McIntyre was taken to the University Hospital of North Durham, in Durham City, but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

A post-mortem examination later revealed he had died of stab wounds to the chest.

Mr Hodgson, whose address was given as Catherine Terrace, in Shield Row, Stanley, appeared in court two, in Consett, charged with a single count of murder.

Wearing a blue T-shirt, Mr Hodgson stood in the dock flanked by two security guards for the brief court proceedings.

About a dozen family and friends gathered in the public gallery, several of them in tears, as Mr Hodgson stood in the dock for only three minutes, during which time he was remanded in custody to reappear before Newcastle Crown Court today.

Mr McIntyre, who is thought to have originally come from the Gateshead area, ran his own sandwich shop, Nico’s Deli, in Front Street, Stanley, close to the town’s bus station and also delivered pizzas for a takeaway to earn extra cash at the weekends.

He lived at the terraced house in Austen Place with his partner, their seven-yearold daughter, and his two stepchildren.

Durham Police yesterday released a short statement on behalf of Mr McIntyre’s family.

The family said: “Steve will be sadly missed and we would like to grieve in private.”

Two other people arrested during the incident, a 37-yearold woman and a 17-year-old girl, were released without charge after police questioning.