A TEEN who stabbed a top lawyer to death outside a Greggs had wanted to make his dead soldier dad proud, The Sun Online can reveal.
Ewan Ireland, 18, attacked dad-of-two Peter Duncan, 52, with a screwdriver after he tried to stop a fight at a Newcastle shopping centre as he returned home from work.
Ewan was not named previously because he was a juvenile when he killed the married dad-of-two on August 14.
In court it was revealed his own dad died when he was just nine.
And the teen had gushed over his “hero” soldier dad on Father’s Day two years ago.
He wrote: “Happy farther’s day to the best dad I could ever wish for.
“Wish you were here, not a day goes by I don’t think about you!!
“My hero!! Love you so so much, gonna be the hardest day of my life. I hope I’m making you proud.”
He is now facing life behind bars for murdering Mr Duncan.
The teen, who admitted murder, has previous convictions including for chasing his mum Kerry, 39, down the street with a knife.
Ireland moved into a semi in Westerhope, Newcastle, with mum Kerry and brother Declan around five years ago
Neighbours said their lives had been made a misery by constant police call-outs and anti-social behaviour at the property.
In one incident just a few weeks ago, police were called after Ewan allegedly chased his mum down the street with a knife.
The only interaction I’ve ever had with him was him telling me to ‘f*** off’ when he’d locked his mum out of the house
Neighbour
Locals said they were also forced to call officers last year when they saw Kerry locked outside of the house in her pyjamas as Ewan allegedly “smashed up” the property inside.
One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “The only interaction I’ve ever had with him was him telling me to ‘f*** off’ when he’d locked his mum out of the house.
“She was stood in the street crying in her pyjamas in the rain as he smashed up the place inside.
“When he came out with the police he shouted at me ‘what the f*** are you looking at? I’ll smash your windows in you c***’.
“There’s police there most weeks. Not usually for trouble at the house but they’re usually bringing him back from town or wherever he’s been causing trouble. He’s a nightmare.”
Another neighbour, who lives across the road from the family, said: “He’s been non-stop trouble for years now.
“Only a couple of months ago he was chasing his mum down the street with a knife. She was screaming for help.
“The police came then but they’re there all the time, you almost don’t bat an eyelid anymore.
“He’s just a nasty little thug. We don’t acknowledge him as he’ll usually ask what we’re looking at or try and intimidate us.
“There’s often a gang of lads at the house or outside smoking. They’re a nuisance we’ve had to learn to live with.”
Police have also been searching a graveyard at St Andrew’s Church on the fringes of the city centre – near Newcastle United’s St James’ Park football stadium.
Ewan’s family are understood to have left the property to allow specialist search teams search the property.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368. You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.
