Brothers Ross Miller and Garry Miller on trial for murder of Brandon Lee who suffered 'over 100 injuries'

Brandon Lee, 24, was found dead at a flat in Victoria Road, South Shields, where he had gone to see Ross Miller, who he had recently reunited with through an online game.

Mr Lee died as a result of stab wounds to his neck and chest and suffered "60 separate actions from a sharp-edged weapon or weapons including chopping, stabbing and potentially slashing" during the attack in May, jurors have heard.

Prosecutors claim Ross Miller carried out the violence, while his brother Garry Miller assisted or encouraged the attack, with "murderous intent".

Ross Miller, 23, of Victoria Road, South Shields and Garry, 26, of Beach Road, South Shields, both deny murder and are being tried by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.

Prosecutor David Brooke QC told the court police had gone to the the flat at Victoria Road, South Shields, after a call from Ross Miller saying he had killed a man.

Mr Brooke said: "The police arrived within minutes and followed a trail of blood upstairs into Flat 36.

"When they went into the sitting room, they found Ross Miller sitting in a chair covered in blood.

"On the floor, bent over, was the body of another man, Brandon Lee who was obviously dead.

"He wasn't wearing anything on his top half.

"The police could see there were significant injuries to the body including puncture wounds to the back.

"As well as a knife which was found near Ross Miller, they found a blood-stained machete on the settee. There was a great deal of blood in the room and on the walls.

"Miller was asked if he had any injuries himself and replied 'he tried to give us injuries'."

A post mortem examination was conducted and concluded Mr Lee had died due to stab wounds to the neck and chest.

Mr Brooke added: "In total there were over 100 injuries."

The court heard Mr Lee had 'an enormous number of incised wounds on the head, trunk and upper limbs' and damage had been caused to his heart and lungs.

Mr Brooke said the vast majority of the injuries were "sharp", meaning they had been caused by a weapon or weapons with sharp edges.

He added: "Some were in a stabbing action, at least 13, many were undoubtedly caused in a chopping action. There were at least 30 injuries caused by a sharp weapon used in a chopping action.

"The greatest concentration of these was on the face and head."

The court heard the same "chopping action" had caused the underlying bones in Mr Lee's face to be badly fractured.

There were eight separate incised wounds over both parietal regions (top of the head) and some underlying cuts in the bone. There are many other injuries including over the arms and upper body.

Mr Brooke added: "In total, there are injuries from 60 separate actions from a sharp-edged weapon or weapons including chopping, stabbing and potentially slashing."

The court heard pathologist Dr Nigel Cooper concluded the injuries were caused by a weapon such as the blood stained machete that was found at the scene and a second or even third weapon could not be ruled out.

A blood stained knife was also found at the scene, jurors heard.

The court heard Garry Miller admitted being present at Ross Miller's flat that night with Brandon Lee and said "we were out of it" but refused to answer questions about what happened.

Ross Miller, who had been taken to hospital with injuries to his hands before he was arrested, was released from hospital on the 14th May. In interview under caution, he refused to answer any questions.

Mr Brooke said even if Mr Lee had tried to injure Ross Miller, what then happened went "way beyond" self defence.

He added: "Brandon Lee suffered at least 100 injuries, including 60 separate actions from a sharp-edged weapon or weapons including chopping, stabbing and potentially slashing.

"One stab wound went right through his neck. There were many injuries to his back. Another stab wound went right through his back, lung, heart and ribs and nearly out the other side.

"The blood pattern shows how he was struck multiple times with a weapon in various places including when he was on or near the ground."

Mr Brooke said the prosecution case is Ross Miller was responsible for the murder and that his brother Gary played a part in "assisting or encouraging the attack with murderous intent".

The trial continues.

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