Carl Smythe guilty of Liskeard car park stab murder

A man has been found guilty of murder after stabbing a 20-year-old to death in a car park following a fight in a pub.

Jurors at Truro Crown Court convicted Carl Smythe, 46, of Varley Lane, Liskeard, of killing Damien Bendelow.

Smythe stabbed Mr Bendelow, who he had never met before, six times as he walked across the car park to go to a party on 26 January.

Smythe will be sentenced at the same court on Wednesday.

The court heard Smythe had been drinking heavily at the White Horse in Liskeard, where drinkers described him as being agitated and aggressive.

Jurors were told Mr Bendelow's friends tried to break up the fight and Smythe hit two girls while being evicted from the premises.

Later, Smythe reappeared and ran towards Mr Bendelow as he was crossing the Cattle Market car park with his friends.

Jo Martin, prosecuting, said: "One minute they were happy, walking and talking, the next something truly dreadful and completely unexpected happened."

Smythe appeared to punch Mr Bendelow and then ran from the scene while Mr Bendelow said "I've been stabbed" before collapsing.

Paramedics were called but Mr Bendelow was pronounced dead at Royal Cornwall Hospital.

Smythe was arrested the following day after flagging down a police car.

He told police he had been drinking and could not remember attacking Mr Bendelow .