Ross Miller found guilty of machete murder of friend Brandon Lee in South Shields

Tragic Brandon Lee, 24, suffered more than 100 injuries when he visited Ross Miller's flat to catch up with him, after the former friends had got back in touch over Playstation game Call of Duty a few weeks earlier.

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.

Miller, 23, of Victoria Road, South Shields, who was described by those who knew him as "loud, boisterous and confrontational", with an "aggressive demeanour", denied murder during a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

But after less than an hour deliberation he was found guilty by a jury and now faces a life sentence.

Judge Paul Sloan QC will sentence him on Wednesday, October 21.

Prosecutor David Brooke QC told the court police had gone to Miller's flat at Victoria Road, South Shields, after a call from him 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.

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.

He did not give evidence during the trial.

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