Drug dealer convicted of killing

A 23-year-old drug dealer has been convicted of stabbing a fellow gangster to death with a knife.

David Williams, 30, of Oldbrook Boulevard in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, was stabbed in the neck and chest in his flat in August.

Eric Erron Johnson, of Devonport Road, London, was cleared of murdering Mr Williams but convicted of manslaughter.

Johnson, who has been remanded into custody, will be sentenced next month after the preparation of reports.

John Denniss, prosecuting, said the two men both dealt in cocaine and heroin and had been arguing over Johnson's missing Prada mobile phone.

'Pride and joy'

The victim, who was also known as Mark Smith, lived in the flat with his girlfriend. Johnson had stayed with them for several months in exchange for supplying Mr Williams with crack cocaine.

Mr Denniss said: "Both men were deeply involved in the local drug scene and the defendant dealt crack cocaine and heroin in Milton Keynes.

"His pride and joy was a Prada mobile phone worth about £500 which he alleged Mr Williams had taken along with some of his heroin."

Johnson jabbed at Mr Williams with a sharpened stick and stabbed him with the knuckle duster knife - which he wore around his neck - causing two wounds, one of which proved fatal.

The weapon has not been found but Johnson was known to wear it in a pouch hanging from a leather necklace, Mr Denniss said.

'Chopping people'

He was also known to own a machete-type weapon which he would conceal down his trousers.

"The Crown say he has a propensity for using knives in violent circumstances and would make threats about chopping people," Mr Denniss said.

During the trial Johnson said he acted in self-defence.

He said Mr Williams reached out for a knife from the kitchen work-top, so he pulled out his own knife and stabbed the victim first.

Johnson told jurors he thought he had only stabbed his victim once.