Days after his beloved father was murdered in Essex, a teenager “gave shelter to the murderer”.

A teenager who harbored a murderer in the days after the “deliberate” murder of his beloved father has been convicted of perverting the course of justice.

Tieran Carmody, 19, inflicted a single stab wound on Max Richardson, 35, near Joyners Field, Harlow, on Monday, August 21 last year.

Mr Richardson, along with neighbors, had approached Carmody and asked why he was loitering near a playground and making children uncomfortable when a scuffle broke out before the 19-year-old pushed the victim and retrieved a bladed weapon from his backpack.

He stabbed the victim in the stomach while Mr Richardson held up his hands in a surrendering motion.

A manhunt was launched and images of Carmody obtained from doorbell and CCTV footage were analyzed and released to the public. Instead of turning himself in, he evaded Essex police's attempts to find him and went on the run.

Barnett and Carmody were caught on CCTV leaving a pub in Benfleet in the days after the murder (Image: Essex Police)

According to police, officers were able to establish a timeline of his movements and show that 19-year-old Harrison Barnett, of St Marys Crescent, Basildon, assisted him in the following days.

Carmody and Barnett were caught on CCTV in a shop in Pitsea and leaving a pub in Benfleet in the days after the murder.

The investigation revealed that Barnett provided shelter to Carmody so he could use his cell phone to talk to friends and family and conduct Internet searches.

On Barnett's phone, officers found searches for the Essex Police call and news articles about the stabbing.

Another internet search asked how a person can leave the country without a passport.

This police led to Carmody's arrest in Basildon less than a week later, on Sunday 27 August.

Carmody was caught on CCTV in a shop in Pitsea in the days after the murder (Image: Essex Police)

Barnett was arrested and later cleared of perverting the course of justice charges, but stood trial with Carmody and was convicted.

Today Carmody was unanimously convicted of murder by a jury at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Both men will be sentenced at a later date.

Detective Chief Inspector Ashley Howard, of the police's serious crime unit, said: “First and foremost, I must address the fact that the victim, a father with young children, lost his life in the most cruel and unnecessary manner.”

“Max had everything in front of him. Instead, he was killed simply because he was concerned about the safety of his neighborhood.

“He died because Carmody chose to carry a large knife, a knife that Carmody said he carried for safety reasons, but it was this weapon that he used to murder a stranger.

“Carmody murdered Max for no other reason than because he felt insulted that someone had dared to oppose him.

“He deliberately and deliberately stabbed Max with the intention of at least causing serious harm to his victim.

“Nothing will give Max’s family back their beloved son, partner, father, brother and friend.

Convicted – Tieran Carmody (Image: Essex Police)

“They have been supported by specialist family liaison officers throughout our investigation and trial, but each of them must now deal with a future without Max in their own way.

“Hopefully they can take some comfort from the knowledge that his killer has been brought to justice.

“Right at the start of this investigation, when we received a call informing us that Max had been seriously assaulted, a dedicated team of officers and staff worked to arrest the individual responsible.

“There is never a good reason to carry a knife in public, especially a knife of this terrible kind, and there is no world in which it would be justified.”

“Carmody ruined the lives of his victim’s family forever, but he also ruined his own life.

“He can rightly expect to spend many years behind bars.”

Loved – Max Richardson (Image: Essex Police)

Witnesses at the scene described the attack as a calm and premeditated act, with Carmody sheathing the blade after the attack, putting it back in his backpack and fleeing the scene on his bicycle.

Officers and paramedics immediately treated Max, but unfortunately he was pronounced dead on the way to hospital.

In a statement issued before the trial, Max's family said: “Our beloved Max. Son, fiancé, father, brother, friend.

“Max, the life and soul of all of us.

“Will always be in the hearts of his family and children who will miss him dearly. Words cannot describe the pain we are all feeling right now.

“He will only be remembered as the person he was. Funny, caring and always there for his little children.

“Rest in peace now, our beloved Max, always and forever in our thoughts and hearts.”