Killer James Macken found guilty of murdering man who suffered 100 injuries in brutal beating at Brewery Wharf flat in Leeds

A flat owner has been found guilty of murdering a man who was found dead in his home with over 100 injuries to his head and body.
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James Macken is facing a life sentence after being convicted of killing Daniel Jeffrey at the property at Brewery Wharf.

Jurors at Leeds Crown Court reached a unanimous guilty verdict today (March 9) after a trial lasting two weeks.

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Mr Jeffrey, 32, was declared dead after police and paramedics were called to the flat at Balmoral Place, Bowman Lane, Brewery Wharf, on April 13 last year.

James Macken has been found guilty of murdering Daniel Jeffrey at flat on Bowman Lane, near to Leeds city centre.James Macken has been found guilty of murdering Daniel Jeffrey at flat on Bowman Lane, near to Leeds city centre.
James Macken has been found guilty of murdering Daniel Jeffrey at flat on Bowman Lane, near to Leeds city centre.

He had multiple injuries to his head, chest, abdomen and limbs which appeared to have been inflicted less than 24 hours before his death.

Maken, 53, owned the flat and carried out the killing days after Mr Jeffrey went to stay at his home.

Prosecutors said Mr Jeffrey died as a result of being subjected to a sustained physical assault involving "heavy impacts".

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Mr Justice Jacobs will sentence Macken at 10.30pm tomorrow, to allow time for Mr Jeffrey's mother to prepare a victim impact statement.

Daniel Jeffrey was found dead at James Macken's flat on Bowman Lane.Daniel Jeffrey was found dead at James Macken's flat on Bowman Lane.
Daniel Jeffrey was found dead at James Macken's flat on Bowman Lane.

During the trial, prosecutor Chloe Hudson said Mr Jeffrey was from London and it is not clear how the two men knew each other.

He caught a train from London to Leeds to stay with Macken on April 6.

A friend who saw him board the train to Leeds said Mr Jeffrey had no visible injuries at the time.

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Over the course of the next few days Mr Jeffrey sent text messages to his mother complaining of feeling unwell.

A message sent on Friday April 10 stated: "I need to come home."

In another message he told his mother he had been arguing with the defendant.

Macken was filmed on CCTV on a number of occasions going to his local Sainsbury's store to buy vodka, cigarettes and wine.

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Mr Jeffrey was last seen alive inside the store on April 11 when he used Macken's credit card to buy vodka and Lucozade.

Ms Hudson said Mr Jeffrey did not appear to be in any discomfort on the footage.

Macken knocked on his neighbours' door on the morning of April 11.

The prosecutor said: "The defendant said that he had a friend staying who was an alcoholic.

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"He told (the neighbour) that if he heard any banging he should discuss the matter with him before contacting the concierge."

Macken also said to the neighbour: "He is all skin and bone. I am trying to look after him."

The neighbour thought the incident was unusual as he had never knocked on his door before. The neighbour said Macken appeared drunk.

Neighbours later heard banging coming from Macken's flat that was so loud it could be heard over the sound of the TV.

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Ms Hudson said they described the sound as being "like furniture banging against a wall."

Macken called emergency services to his home and Mr Jeffrey was pronounced dead by paramedics at 3.38pm.

The defendant told police Mr Jeffrey had been drinking "a lot of vodka", had fallen over repeatedly and had been sick.

He claimed he had put his friend in the bath and then helped him get to bed.

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Extensive injuries to Mr Jeffrey's body were discovered during a post mortem.

He had suffered nine fractured ribs and an injury to his spleen which had caused him to lose over a litre of blood internally.

A pathologist concluded that Mr Jeffrey had suffered the injuries as a result of a sustained "physical assault."