Lee Darby, Neil Elliott and Anthony Small found guilty of killing Hartlepool man Michael Phillips

After a six week trial at Teesside Crown Court, a jury found Lee Darby guilty of the 39-year-old’s murder after two-and-a-half-days of deliberations.

He had also pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing a prohibited weapon at an earlier hearing.

Niramax boss Neil Elliott and Anthony Small were both found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.

Darby, 32, of Ridley Court; Elliott, 44, of Briarfields Close; and Small, 40, of Rydal Street, all Hartlepool, will be sentenced at Teesside Crown Court at 2pm on Wednesday, March 4.

Gary Jackson, 31, of The Darlings, Hart Village; father and son John Musgrave, 54, and Sean Musgrave, 30, both of Wordsworth Avenue; and Craig Thorpe, 36, of Young Street were cleared of all charges and walked free from court.

The jury heard Mr Phillips, 39, died after being attacked at his home in Rydal Street, Hartlepool, at around 9pm on Monday, June 10, last year.

He suffered 15 rib fractures, skull and facial fractures and "traumatic” lacerations to his spleen. Mr Phillips was confirmed dead at the scene by the emergency services.

During the trial the jury, the prosecution described it as a revenge attack and heard Elliott was accused of recruiting a gang of men ‘like a sergeant major gathering his troops’ and going looking for the person who stole his daughter’s car.

He had posted on Facebook: "Whoever burgled my daughter's home and took her car, your life is about to change, trust me."

In evidence, Mr Phillips’ housemate Lee Hardwell, said men barged into the house and behaved like ‘animals’ after the pair said they did not recognise two men on CCTV footage shown to them.

Mr Hardwell said the gang, who were armed with coshes and knuckledusters, slammed Mr Phillips into a fish tank and repeatedly kicked and stamped on him.

“He didn’t stand a chance,” Mr Hardwell said. "They were prepared for every eventuality, it was planned."

Elliott admitted punching Mr Hardwell during the incident and was also found guilty of assault.

The trial had heard from police investigating the theft of the car that Mr Phillips was never suspected or identified by them.

Outside of court, Sarah Musgrave, wife of John Musgrave and mother of Sean Musgrave, said the last few months had been "an absolute nightmare."

The 50-year-old added: "I am over the moon. I have just broke my heart in there with relief.

"It has been the worst few months of our lives.

"It has been an absolute nightmare. They have never done anything wrong."