A man has been cleared of murdering an old school friend after assaulting him with a hatchet but found guilty of manslaughter.

Callum Howe used the weapon several times on Mohammed Shaan Ali Rasul, 23, during a violent confrontation in Howe’s flat on the morning of Sunday, November 23, last year.

Mr Rasul, known as Shaan, died as a result of head and facial injuries, a two-week trial at Teesside Crown Court heard.

Howe, also 23, of Blakelock Gardens, Hartlepool, denied murder and said he acted in self-defence after Mr Rasul tried to attack him with the weapon.

Mohammed Shaan Ali Rasul, 23, died at a flat in Allerton Close, Hartlepool, where he had been staying with two old school friends.

placeholder image — Mohammed Shaan Ali Rasul, 23, died at a flat in Allerton Close, Hartlepool, where he had been staying with two old school friends.

The jury returned a not guilty verdict to murder but found Howe guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter on Wednesday afternoon.

He has been remanded in custody and will return to court to be sentenced on July 23.

The trial earlier heard how Mr Rasul, who had recently moved into Howe’s flat, suffered 12 separate injuries, most of which were to his face and head.

Some were caused by a hatchet belonging to Howe that he said was an item of “memorabilia” left to him by his grandmother.

Giving evidence, Howe said he and Mr Rasul had got into a violent struggle when he tried to keep Mr Rasul’s large Japanese Akita dog, that he was wary of, out of the bedroom.

Howe and Mr Rasul had taken drugs, including cocaine, and not slept, the trial heard.

Howe said in evidence that Mr Rasul picked up the hatchet and swung it at him, which made him fear for his life.

After wrestling the hand axe from him, Howe used it on Mr Rasul a number of times and also headbutted him, knocking some of his teeth out.

Afterwards, he left the flat by squeezing out of the bedroom window and was found by neighbours in the street in an unstable state and covered in blood.

In a tribute, Mr Rasul’s sister previously said: “You had the biggest heart a man could ever have, but our hearts are broken and heavy.

“We will love you forever, Our brother Shaan.”

The jury returned their verdicts after just over three hours.

Trial judge, The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Francis Laird, thanked them for their service before releasing them.