adminSimon Meech at his rented flat in Bensham, Gateshead.
He denied the charge but a jury at Newcastle Crown Court took two hours to deliver a guilty verdict yesterday.
The court heard how Bestford had argued with his wife on July 28 about his seven months of rent arrears and debts of £11 000 after two county court judgments.
Bestford had been due a visit from Mr Meech the next day to collect rent, but the arrangement was changed to 9.30pm that night.
Bestford stabbed Mr Meech 10 times in his living room with a kitchen knife and mutilated his body before fleeing the scene in his landlord’s car.
He travelled towards Carlisle, where his wife was staying, but pulled over, rang 999 and told police: “I’ve slaughtered him, I don’t know what to do.”
He later rang police again and claimed Mr Meech had pulled a knife on him during a row. He said he had grabbed it off him and stabbed him.
He told police: “I just saw red and I stabbed and stabbed and stabbed him.”
When police got to the scene, Mr Meech’s head was partially detached and his feet and calves had been wrapped in a bin liner while his legs were tied together with parcel tape.
Police Constable Sarah Curry was among the officers who arrived at the flat. She said there was blood all over the flat, although it appeared attempts had been made to clean it up.
She told the court: “I saw a man lying on his back on the kitchen floor.
“His lower legs from the knees down, including his feet, were covered in black bin bags which were wrapped round.”
Pathologist Dr Mark Egan told Newcastle Crown Court: “Most of the wounds to the neck occurred after the heart had stopped beating.
“There was a clot in the blood vessels of the neck which raised the possibility at least one of the wounds was inflicted in life. It would have been apparent to the person whether he was alive or dead.”
He added Mr Meech had suffered stab wounds to his torso and face and other knife injuries to his arm, leg and palm.
The court heard Mr Meech, from Whickham, Gateshead, was a district manager for Blockbuster who had built up a portfolio of eight properties which he rented out. — Daily Mail.
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