Man guilty of murdering student

A man was convicted today of the "brutal, cold and ruthless" murder of a medical student.

Muneeb Nasir, 21, was subjected to "extreme violence" in the attack, which took place at his student house in Liverpool last July, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

The jury was told the highly-regarded student, from Bristol, had been using and dealing the one-time legal high mephedrone, also known as "M-Cat" and "Miaow Miaow".

Colin Clarke, 37, from Liverpool, knifed Mr Nasir during a bungled attempt to steal his 17oz stash.

Unemployed Clarke held his head in his hands and later wept as the jury returned a unanimous verdict on its third day of deliberations.

Co-defendant Alan Johnson, 30, was convicted of manslaughter and Mark Hirst, 19, was cleared of both murder and manslaughter following a nine-week trial.