Two men have been cleared of murdering their teenager friend who was found buried in makeshift grave having been repeatedly stabbed - but one of them was convicted of manslaughter.
Kieran Williams was found in a 0.75m hole in the ground having been stabbed more than 20 times around six weeks after going missing from home.
Louis Hackett and Ben Cook have been standing trial accused of murdering him but now both have been cleared, although Hackett was unanimously found guilty of manslaughter. Hackett, 20, of Fordenbridge Square, Sunderland, was further remanded in custody and will be sentenced on a date to be fixed.
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Jurors at Newcastle Crown Court were told 18-year-old Kieran had suffered more than 20 stab wounds in a "prolonged and sustained attack". He was last seen on April 18, Easter Monday, the day he was killed.
On May 31 last year the police discovered a grave that had been dug in a wooded area near a disused industrial estate by the Northern Spire bridge in Sunderland, near the River Wear.
His body was examined by a pathologist and he found he had suffered at least 20 stab wounds, including three to the front of his chest, two to his right torso, seven to his neck and a number of other wounds to his limbs. One of the stab wounds had penetrated a membrane surrounding his heart, another penetrated his aorta and two entered his liver.
The court heard an attempt had been made to set Kieran on fire in the grave but the fire damage was limited to his clothes not his body.
The court heard the grave was 0.75 metres deep and it "did not resemble a hurriedly dug or poorly constructed grave". Prosecutors said while it can't be said with certainty the grave was dug before he was killed, there was evidence of pre-planning.
Prosecutor David Lamb KC said: "It was in a secluded area and access to vehicles would not have been possible. In short, this was not an easy place to get to. There were numerous spade marks in the sides and base of the grave. It was dug in clay soil and would've taken a considerable effort to dig out."
Attempts had been made to cover the grave with leaves, sticks and branches. A shovel, spade and fork were later recovered by police on the bank of the River Wear.
When Hackett was interviewed he told police Kieran was "like a brother to him", said he "would give him the clothes off his back" and called him a "class lad" that he had a good relationship with him and that he, Kieran and Mr Cook were all friends.
Police inquiries had led to the arrest of Mr Cook and Hackett on suspicion of kidnap initially. Hackett denied any involvement but when a forensic archaeologist found his fingerprint in clay on the grave and within the grave, he changed his story, saying he and Mr Cook had gone to the deposition site and met Kieran. He claimed Mr Cook argued with Kieran and Mr Cook ended up producing a knife and stabbed Kieran numerous times.
Mr Cook, 19, of Fordfield Road, Sunderland, then said Hackett had attacked Kieran and stabbed him multiple times and said Hackett had then threatened him with the knife he killed him with and told him to move the body. Mr Cook said Hackett set fire to Kieran's body then covered it with leaves and shrubbery. He said he was then told to leave and to ring Kieran later as if nothing was wrong.
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