Man guilty of dog walker murder

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/tees/7549424.stm

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A teenager has been convicted of murdering a Teesside father-of-two.

Ron Sharples, 52, died when he hit his head on the pavement, after becoming involved in a row with two 18-year-olds near his home in Marske-by-the-Sea.

Declan Appleby and Scott Fullam denied murdering Mr Sharples, who was out searching for his pet dog early on New Year's Day.

Appleby, of Cliff Street, New Marske was found guilty, but the jury could not reach a verdict on his co-accused.

A decision on whether Mr Fulham, of Hawkins Close, Marske-by-the-Sea, will face a retrial will be made later. He was discharged by the Recorder of Middlesbrough, Peter Fox QC.

Appleby will be sentenced at a later date.

Teesside Crown Court had heard Mr Sharples was acting as a "peacemaker" after his family group became involved in an argument with youths acting "aggressively."

He suffered a fractured skull when his head hit the pavement.