Steve Coulson

Steve Coulson was found dead at his home.

An employee of his was tried for his murder but acquitted. He said that he had acted in self-defence after Steve Coulson became violent.

He killed him by putting him in a choke hold during a struggle on 6 October 2018, saying that Steve Coulson would have seriously hurt or killed him had he not done so. After killing him he stole £256 from Steve Coulson's safe.

He stayed at Steve Coulson's flat for two and a half hours after choking him before leaving.

He said that he had been feeling suicidal that night and had gone to Steve Coulson's flat at about 4.30am. Before he went he said that he stole £50 worth of morphine from his father so that he could buy some crack cocaine, adding that he planned to kill himself by jumping into a river.

He said that when he arrived at Steve Coulson's flat that Steve Coulson was initially calm and talked him down, saying that he shouldn't take the drugs, but said that Steve Coulson later became violent

The man said, 'That’s when he started shouting at me about work and drugs saying 'look at the f****** state of you, you need to do this and that, you need to sort your head out''.

The man then said, 'That’s when he picked up the dumbbell and swung at me. I moved my head out of the way and it just tipped me. If I had not moved my head it probably would have killed me. I strongly believe he would not have wanted to but when he lost his temper and saw red, he just had no control over his actions'.

He added that Steve Coulson also tried to attack him with a knife.

He said that when he left Steve Coulson's flat that he didn't know that he was dead.

The man was acquitted of murder and manslaughter although he was convicted of theft.