Man jailed over motorcyclist spade death

A father-of-two who killed a teenage biker riding a modified machine by hitting him with a spade has been jailed for six years.

Sonny Stephenson, 17, was not wearing a helmet and had been noisily riding round Guisborough, Cleveland, when he and his 15-year-old pillion passenger were knocked of the 600cc stolen motorbike.

Matthew Buckworth, 34, threw a spade at the pair, hitting Sonny in the head causing him to slump over the handlebars before the bike crashed.

Described as a hard-working family man, Buckworth denied murder at a previous hearing but admitted manslaughter.

Sentencing at Teesside Crown Court, Judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC said Buckworth was under "some degree of provocation" on the evening of August 27 as residents had put up with noisy bikers over previous weeks.