William Parr: Sheffield man convicted of killing his neighbour Lee Phillips, 45

William Parr was today, Thursday, February 16, found guilty by a jury at Sheffield Crown Court of the manslaughter of Lee Phillips, aged 45. But jurors failed to reach a verdict on the murder charge Parr, aged 27, of School Road, High Green, also faced.

Mr Phillips had been found seriously injured outside his home on South Road in the High Green area of Sheffield, shortly after 1am on Saturday, January 30, 2021. Despite the best efforts of police and paramedics who were called to the scene he died a short time later.

Parr, who lived next door to Mr Phillips at the time, was charged with Mr Phillips’ murder and manslaugher, both of which he denied. The jury found him guilty of manslaughter but failed to reach a verdict on the murder charge, with the judge, Recorder Jeremy Richardson KC, giving the prosecution seven days in which to decide what action to take over the murder charge and setting a provisional sentencing date of March 24.

The court had been told how in the months leading up to Mr Phillips’ death, he and his partner had reported issues with their next door neighbours, which included ‘loud music’ being played and fires being started in the back garden. Parr was not at the property when the complaints began in May 2020, the jury was told, but he was believed to be living there with his partner by December that year, and the issues around loud music and fires ‘remained the same’.