Axe Manslaughter Verdict: Self-Defense Claim Denied

Callum Howe, 23, has been found guilty of manslaughter following a fatal axe attack on his friend, Mohammed Shaan Ali Rasul, 23. The incident occurred in November 2025 at Howe's Hartlepool flat, where Rasul sustained at least 10 blows to the face. Prosecutors had alleged murder, but a jury at Teesside Crown Court convicted Howe of the lesser charge after approximately three hours of deliberation.

Howe maintained that he acted in self-defense during the altercation, which he claimed involved the victim becoming violent and Howe fearing the victim's dog. The court heard that both individuals had been consuming significant quantities of cocaine. Emergency services discovered Rasul unresponsive on the bedroom floor, and he was pronounced dead shortly after.

Medical examinations revealed extensive facial and head injuries, including multiple fractures to the eye socket and jaw bone. The pathologist indicated that the victim's injuries compromised his airway and breathing. Howe fled the scene, and later accepted responsibility for his friend's death, though he insisted it was in self-defense. He has been remanded in custody and is scheduled for sentencing on July 23.