Garry Miller has been cleared of murder of Brandon Lee in South Shields

Ross Miller and Garry Miller have been on trial accused of killing Brandon Lee, 24, who was found dead at a flat in Victoria Road, South Shields, with over 100 injuries, in May.

Jurors at Newcastle Crown Court have heard Mr Lee had gone to the flat 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".

Prosecutors had claimed 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 denied the charge.

At the conclusion of the prosecution evidence being heard, the case against Garry Miller has now been halted.

Judge Paul Sloan QC ordered the jury to deliver a not guilty verdict in his case, which it has now done.

The case had reached the stage where Ross Miller could go into the witness box to give evidence, but jurors have heard he has declined the opportunity.

The trial will now continue against Ross Miller, who continues to deny murder, alone.

Jurors have heard police had gone to the the flat at Victoria Road, South Shields, after a call from Ross Miller saying he had killed a man.

The court heard the officers followed a "trail of blood" to Ross Miller's flat and found him sitting in the living room, with Mr Lee's body.

A post mortem examination was conducted and concluded Mr Lee had over 100 injuries and had died due to stab wounds to the neck and chest.

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 also refused to answer questions.

The trial continues.

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