A mother wept at the Old Bailey after the killer w

A mother wept at the Old Bailey after the killer who bragged about stabbing her son was cleared of murder.

Terry Parkes, 40, boasted to his victim’s pregnant girlfriend: ‘I have done him.

He’s dying,’ the court heard.

But the jury cleared Parkes of murdering Gary Miller after he claimed he used the victim’s knife to act in self-defence.

Instead the jury unanimously convicted Parkes of manslaughter.

He will be sentenced later.

Friends and relatives of the dead man hurled abuse at Parkes as he was led to the cells, branding him a ‘murdering b******.

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Outside court Mr Miller’s distraught mother Vicky said: ‘I just don’t know what to say apart from the fact that my son was murdered.

‘He was a good boy and he would never carry a weapon or consider doing anything like that.

‘He was a good boy, such a good person,’ Mrs Miller tearfully added.

The court heard the girlfriend, Rachel Whitehead, 18, had been Parkes’ former lover and they have an 18-month-old daughter.

When Parkes went to prison for dishonesty their relationship collapsed and Miss Whitehead moved in with Mr Miller, 21, at his home in Colonial Avenue, Twickenham.

On Parkes’ release in November last year, a row began over the custody of the daughter Eliza.

And on January 2 matters came to a head after Parkes drove to Mr Miller’ house in his convertible black Volkswagen Golf.

Later Parkes complained to police Miss Whitehead had pulled a knife on him and arranged to meet officers at a telephone kiosk in Kneller Road, Whitton.

Miss Whitehead also decided to call police and Mr Miller volunteered to walk to the nearest telephone box where, in a tragic coincidence, Parkes was waiting.

The fight which broke out was a desperate ‘trial of strength’ between the pair, prosecutor Mr Mark Dennis told the court.

‘The witness observed that Mr Miller appeared to be more aggressive and threw close quarters punches at the defendant who didn’t appear to be trying to get away.

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‘Instead of backing away or simply producing the knife he stood his ground and he stabbed the unarmed Mr Miller in the stomach with such force that the blade penetrated his back bone.

‘Shortly before 10.

45pm Mr Miller stumbled into the White Hart and collapsed on the floor just inside the entrance and he lay there dying from a single stab wound to his stomach.

‘The defendant had been observed walking across to his motor car and without particular pace or alarm driving off leaving the hapless Mr Miller to his fate.

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Parkes shouted: ‘If that’s all you can do, it weren’t much,’ before speeding away.

The killer then boasted to Miss Whitehead when she called him on his mobile 15 minutes later, the court heard.

Mr Miller staggered into the nearby White Hart and where horrified drinkers came to his aid but he was beyond help.

Parkes told the court Mr Miller had been repeatedly hitting him over the back of the head and he grabbed the knife that was tucked into the victim’s waistband.

‘I just lashed out,’ said Parkes.

Parkes, of (108) Fulmer Close, Hampton, was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter.

He denied the charges.

Parkes will be dealt with on July 11 after pre-sentence reports have been prepared.

ends