The killer of a Brighton man has been cleared of his murder at Lewes Crown Court but convicted of manslaughter.
Michael Bishop, 24, will be sentenced on Friday 28 May when he is expected to be sent to prison.
He killed Stuart Slade, 35, who lived at the YMCA hostel in the Old Steine, Brighton.
Mr Slade died from stab wounds in Brighton on Tuesday 30 December 2008.
He was found with chest, head and back wounds in Hampton Place off Western Road, Brighton.
Bishop had not met Mr Slade until the night he killed him, but he was seeing Mr Slade’s former girlfriend, Helen Joyce, the mother of Mr Slade’s son.
Bishop told the jury at his trial that he had acted in self-defence after going to a bar to speak to Mr Slade, believing that he was harassing his girlfriend.
He said that Mr Slade had pulled a knife on him and told him that he was going to die.
The jury was told that Mr Slade had been stabbed repeatedly in the fight that took place almost 18 months ago.
Bishop, of no fixed address, fled to Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus in panic.
He was arrested by the authorities there and deported last October.
Having served on the jury that convicted Michael Bishop I am very interested to find out how he is and where he is in prison. I hope maybe his mother who I believe was in court each day might contact me. This was such a sad case for all involved, and I feel so sorry for Stuart Slade’s family and hope they and Helen are doing ok now.
Having been his cellmate for 6 weeks during his remand and trial I too would love to know how he is getting on as I think he may be a free man now and had the kindest soul of anyone I’ve ever met. He was like a guardian Angel for me at a time of real crisis and I’d love for him to see the success I’ve built since my release in 2010 and for it to inspire and drive him to achieve similar.
My names Ashley and i am a friend of michael and i was sharing a cell with him for a long time during his case i was given his mothers nomber before i was releasd but have lost it i think he is in HMP swallside i have noy spoke to him since he was sentanced and i feel he was let down by the justice system i wish him all the best now and when he is releasd and hope to see him in the future
Michael is my husbands cell Mate he is at hmp peterborough and has 7 months left
Is michael now released?he was a friend of mine
Michael sounds like an exemplary member of society. If you believe this then your more retarded than the average person. This kid took a kitchen knife from the kitchen he was in and stabbed a man multiple times. Lucky he had that self defence. I didn’t realise that the uk had so many simple twats till I read this article.