Two convicted over death of man following attack in Stockton
Two men have been convicted of killing a man in Stockton last October - after a jury reached two different decisions this afternoon
Last updated 20th Apr 2026
Two men have been convicted of killing a man in Stockton last October - after a jury reached two different decisions this afternoon.
The pair have been on trial, over the death of 27 year old Macaulay Branighan, who died in October 2025, after he was believed to have been chased up High Newham Road by a number of men and a dog - before being fatally attacked on Westerton Green.
Today, a jury has found 25 year old Stephen Lee Ward, of Stockton, guilty of murder.
22 year old Sam Tweddle, also from Stockton, was convicted of manslaughter.
A statement issued on behalf of Macaulay’s family said:
“The events of Sunday 12th October 2025 will stay with us forever. Macaulay was taken from us in the most devastating way. He was loved deeply, and his loss has changed our lives forever. Today’s verdict does not ease our grief, but it does bring a measure of justice for him.
“Our focus now is on honouring Macaulay’s memory and supporting one another as a family.”
The pair are expected to be sentenced in June.