A man has been found guilty of stabbing his former friend to death in broad daylight.
The jury in the trial of Dean Anthony Dagless, 49, over the death of St John Lewis.
Mr Lewis, known locally as Singe, was stabbed to death in Broadlea Terrace, Bramley, at around 3pm on February 26.
The 47-year-old, who was described as 'a lovable rogue', died at the scene after suffering a stab wound to the heart, despite the best efforts of a doctor who performed heart surgery in the road.
The trial heard that Dagless returned to the scene and 'appeared unemotional' as Mr Lewis bled out.
Tributes to the victim described him as a 'kind, warm-hearted man' with a 'heart of gold'.
Dagless, of Broadlea Terrace, told the jury he had a knife in his pocket when he left the flat that day, after he used it to do DIY that morning, but claims he had 'forgotten all about it'.
He also said he had only meant to scare Mr Lewis with the knife after the pair, who had been friends for around 20 years, started fighting on the afternoon of the killing.
He was found not guilty of possessing an offensive weapon.
He said: “I regretted pulling a knife out to scare him because if I hadn’t done that this incident wouldn’t have happened. Maybe it would have been different.
“I’ve got to live with it for the rest of my life. I’m so ashamed I’ve tried taking my life because of it. I can’t sleep at night. Every time I close my eyes I see the incident.”
The court heard how the men started fighting in Broadlea Terrace shortly after Mr Lewis sent a Facebook message to Dagless' girlfriend Dawn Zaib and accused him of raping another woman.
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