Dispute over extended break led to stabbing death of 26-year-old father of two
An Scottish baker who stabbed a co-worker has been found guilty of murder and is facing a life sentence.
The High Court in Glasgow heard 35-year-old Paul Steadward snapped when his colleague Steven McArdle, a father of two, came back 15 minutes late from a tea break.
The two men were working a 12-hour night shift at Warburton's bakery in Bellshill, Scotland, about 21 kilometres east of Glasgow, last March.
When McArdle went out for a cigarette break at 4:30 a.m., Steadward grabbed a 10-inch knife from his locker and followed him out. Steadward then stabbed 26-year-old McArdle twice.
Before he died, McArdle was able to tell the first police officer on the scene that it was Steadward who stabbed him.
Throughout the trial Steadward claimed he stabbed McArdle in self-defence. He told police that he only brought the knife to work because he was going to have steak during his meal break.
Scott McFarlane, a production worker at Warburton's, said he saw Steadward and McArdle arguing at 4:30 a.m., after which McArdle left the building, followed by Steadward.
McFarlane saw the two men scuffle and heard McArdle say that Steadward was trying to "slash" him. When McFarlane went back into the building to call an ambulance, he saw Steadward run away carrying a bag.
