Murder accused killed pal in 'drug-induced rage'
Cleveland PoliceA man killed his friend by repeatedly hitting him with an axe in an "explosion of violence and drug-fuelled rage", prosecutors have said.
Mohammed Shaan Ali Rasul, 23, was struck at least 10 times in the face with a weapon at Callum Howe's Hartlepool home in November, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Howe, 23, denies murder and claims he acted in self-defence.
In closing speeches, prosecutors said the attack was "over the top" and "utterly disproportionate". Howe's defence said he "fought for his life" after being attacked "by a crazed man full of cocaine with a hatchet".
Jurors previously heard Rasul and another man had been staying at Howe's first-floor flat on Allerton Close in the days before the attack, during which the trio took drugs and did not sleep or eat much.
Neighbours called emergency services at about 10:30 GMT on 23 November after Howe was seen stumbling around the street covered in blood and shouting for help having jumped from a window.
While assisting Howe, police and paramedics entered the flat and found Rasul on the bedroom floor. He was declared dead a short time later.
The court heard he had been repeatedly struck in the head with an axe.
Howe told jurors he accepted killing his friend but it was not intentional, adding he had been "fighting for my life".
In a police interview Howe gave no comment and gave a pre-prepared statement, which detailed how Rasul had allegedly attacked him first and the pair had struggled, the court heard.
Prosecutors said Howe had silenced Rasul, to give himself a void to "exclusively fill with whatever account fostered and morphed over time".
Under cross examination, Howe claimed not to remember some details and in his closing speech Peter Makepeace KC said this could have been avoided by giving details when interviewed, but he did not want his "lies exposed".
He also said in his statement to police, Howe did not mention attacking Rasul with the axe, and suggested Howe had waited for the pathology evidence to come back.
"It is plain and obvious that Howe was frenzied, not Mr Rasul.
"You see the reason he went no comment."
Judge Francis Laird KC said Howe was a "man of good character" with no previous convictions.
Nicholas Lumley KC, defending Howe said he was a "fish out of water in the witness box, and was doing his best to "explain this mess" to the jury.
Forensic scientist, Laura Lewis, said she found the blood distribution was confined to a single area, low down at the right hand side of the bed where Rasul was found.
Makepeace KC said the blood distribution informed the expert witness that Rasul was struck in the face with the axe repeatedly while he was lying beside the bed.
Blood from his facial injuries flowed down the side of his head towards his ears, which indicated he had not been upright and standing, the court heard.
He also said that Howe did not take the weapon with him suggesting "he knew he had finished off Mr Rasul so could leave the axe".
"Instead he took something much more significant and of value, he took a stash of cocaine," Makepeace said.
"He had no doubt the most important thing on his mind, having just killed his friend in that bloody assassination.
"He did not take the axe with him, he knew he no longer had any use of it, he had achieved his aim."
In CCTV shown to the jury, Howe was seen stumbling around the cul-de-sac after jumping out of the window.
Makepeace said the defendant had been like a "pin ball" stumbling around and this was not someone tired and in shock, but someone intoxicated and who had had little sleep.
'Terrified asking for help'
Lumley said in the heat of the moment affected by cocaine and with a dog barking, all hell broke loose and Howe had fought for his life.
He also appeared to be terrified and asking for help, telling people his friend had tried to kill him, Lumley said.
He told the court Howe had worked since leaving school and had never been in trouble in his life.
He said something must have happened to him to make him afraid and turn into a "different person with precious little choice but to respond".
The trial continues.
