A killer who bludgeoned his uncle to death with a hammer after what he claimed were years of sexual abuse has been cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
A jury at Stafford Crown Court took almost ten hours to convict Matthew Brookes (26) of battering to death 54-year-old Philip Cieciora while he was in bed at his home in Spring Gardens, Shrewsbury, in January last year.
Mr Cieciora died from 16 blows to his head. Brookes, of Field Close, Shrewsbury, pleaded guilty at the start of his 13-day trial to manslaughter on the grounds of provocation or diminished responsibility because of an abnormality of mind, but denied murder.
The prosecution refused to accept his pleas.
Judge John Shand adjourned sentence until today.
