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A drug addict who stabbed his girlfriend to death before leaping 25ft from a window onto a car and attacking passers-by in a frenzy has been found guilty of her murder.

Michael Marler, 37, has admitted to stabbing Danielle Richardson, 24, in her face, neck and back in a Manchester city centre apartment while on a cocaine induced 'drugs spree', but denied that he intended to kill her.

Shocking footage captures the moment Marler bounced off a parked car, having plunged from a window before getting to his feet and attacking passers-by. 

The frenzied rampage led one witness to describe Marler as 'the Incredible Hulk', after his ability to survive the fall and then continue attacking innocent bystanders. 

Michael Marler (pictured left and right, in custody), 37, of Oldham, had admitted to stabbing Danielle Richardson (pictured, left), 24, in her face, neck and back in a Manchester city centre apartment while on a cocaine induced 'drugs spree', but denied that he intended to kill her

A jury at Manchester Crown Court today found Marler, of Oldham, guilty of murder.

The drug abuser had been out to the cinema and shopping with Miss Richardson, 24, in the evening of February 12 before returning to the apartment in Ancoats, where they were staying while her house was being redecorated.

The pair had both smoked cannabis and used a crack pipe to take cocaine before her death, the court heard.

The following morning, at about 7.30am, CCTV footage showed Marler landing on a car parked outside the flat after jumping 25 feet from a second-storey window.

Dripping in blood he tried to steal the car before hitting and kicking a number of vehicles, punching and biting a passer-by and attempting to get into another car, the court heard.

Police broke into the Shush apartments in Manchester's trendy Northern Quarter to find the flat spattered with blood and Miss Richardson lying dead in the open plan living room and kitchen area with 15 stab wounds.

Shocking footage captures the moment Marler bounced off a parked car, having plunged from a window before getting to his feet and attacking passers-by

Dripping in blood he tried to steal the car before hitting and kicking a number of vehicles, punching and biting a passer-by and attempting to get into another car, the court heard

When Marler was quizzed by detectives about Miss Richardson's murder he replied: 'This is all news to me. I do not even kill spiders - I put them outside. I like to think I am a nice person.'

It emerged the victim had been awarded £12,000 damages over a childhood abuse ordeal and had planned to use the money to renovate her home and build a future.

She paid the ultimate price when she and Marler booked into the flat for a Valentines weekend - only for them to buy enough drugs to fill up to 30 crack pipes. 

On Thursday, at Manchester Crown Court the father of six was convicted of murder after a jury took just 80 minutes to reach their verdict. He denied murder but admitted manslaughter. He is due to be sentenced tomorrow. 

The drug abuser had been out to the cinema and shopping with Miss Richardson, 24, in the evening of February 12 before returning to the apartment in Ancoats, where they were staying while her house was being redecorated

The court heard the couple had been dating for up to three years in 'an off relationship' after Mrs Richardson lost custody of her three children due to personal problems. 

Earlier this year she won the damages payout it is believed from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board after abuse she suffered as a child but she and Marler developed a £1,000 a week drug habit. 

Neil Usher prosecuting said: 'Part of that money was used by her to help do up her home and part of it went to pay for the apartment that she and the defendant booked into. 

But part of that compensation money also went on funding the purchase of a considerable amount of crack cocaine in the days and weeks leading up to Miss Richardson's death.' 

The pair had both smoked cannabis and used a crack pipe to take cocaine before her death, the court heard. The following morning, at about 7.30am, CCTV footage showed Marler landing on a car parked outside the flat after jumping 25 feet from a second-storey window

The court heard the couple checked in to the apartment on February 12 whilst Miss Richardson's home was being decorated.    

That evening they went to a Drive Thru cinema to watch the 1992 movie the BodyGuard before going shopping - then acquiring drugs and returning to the flat at 1am the following morning.

The tragedy emerged at 7am that day when a 'raging man's voice' was heard coming from inside the flat and Marler was seen subsequently seen jumping out of the window.

Witness Benjamin Sheridan who was being dropped off for work by his mother and father said: 'I looked up and saw a man standing in the window. I presumed he was calling out to someone outside but he then launched himself out of the window and landed in a heap on the top of my mum's car. He then tumbled off the car and onto the pavement and I could not believe he was standing up.

The tragedy emerged at 7am that day when a 'raging man's voice' was heard coming from inside the flat and Marler was seen subsequently seen jumping out of the window (pictured)

'I then saw him get into the front passenger side door and I believed he was trying to steal the car. At that point I grabbed my phone and dialled 999 to summon the police. 

'He saying something similar to "they are going to kill me, they are after me". My dad was trying to get him away but I saw the man hit my mum in the face. He was absolutely covered in blood and very agitated.

'There was a big pool of blood on the windows on the building, one window was completely red with blood. I watched the male walking off but he was still agitated, I saw him attack a car and try to break the windows to get access. I noticed he had smash to window of one car. he was shirtless and was acting very aggressively.'

Pedestrian Omar Abbas said: ' I noticed the man covered in blood and tried walking away but he came running towards me and punched me with a lot of force, I was in shock at what had happened. He wanted me to hit him back, he kept saying "hit me back" and kept getting closer and closer towards me.

Tests showed Marler had large amounts of cocaine in his system. Items found in the flat included a small metal drugs pipe and traces of cocaine in a bowl, on the living room floor and a plastic sealed bag inside a bin (CCTV shows Marler on a rampage after leaping from a window)

'I told him to let me go and leave me alone but he kept coming closer so I somehow got him into a headlock and held him against a wall. He was saying something but I could not understand what he was going on about. 

'He bit my right arm and I tried to get him into a tighter headlock but he then bit my left hand and ripped my skin. After that I just let go of him because I was in pain.

'He went towards cars again and was just hitting any cars that he could see that in traffic. He was restrained by police officers but they were struggling as he was quite strong. 

'Police got one handcuff on him but even they were struggling so called for back up. I was physically helping them but there were about six officers restraining him in total. What he was doing made no sense to me, he appeared to be simply crazy.'

A witness said: 'I looked up and saw a man standing in the window. I presumed he was calling out to someone outside but he then launched himself out of the window and landed in a heap on the top of my mum's car'

The witness continued: 'He saying something similar to "they are going to kill me, they are after me". My dad was trying to get him away but I saw the man hit my mum in the face. He was absolutely covered in blood and very agitated'

Tests showed Marler had large amounts of cocaine in his system. Items found in the flat included a small metal drugs pipe and traces of cocaine in a bowl, on the living room floor and a plastic sealed bag inside a bin.

In police interview Marler said: 'I could have been spiked. There have been no incidents like this before, none at all. Maybe a bit of paranoia obviously but nothing like this. I have not intentionally gone out to do this, I loved the girl, I would never ever do this.

'She was my life, I loved the girl, I loved her to bits. It does not seem real. I just want the world to swallow me up. It feels like this is not reality. Look at everything I have been through, I had a stroke, I had four brain haemorrhages and lost the use of my right arm. My doctor has said that I am not myself. I have cried out for help but nobody has helped me.'

He added: 'Wee bought 2 grams of crack cocaine between us which is about £100 - It was a few rocks and a bit of powder. We just bashed it up. Me and Danielle used it in a pipe but it could made between 20 and 30 pipes.

Tests showed Marler had large amounts of cocaine in his system. Items found in the flat included a small metal drugs pipe and traces of cocaine in a bowl, on the living room floor and a plastic sealed bag inside a bin

In police interview Marler said: 'I could have been spiked. There have been no incidents like this before, none at all. Maybe a bit of paranoia obviously but nothing like this. I have not intentionally gone out to do this, I loved the girl, I would never ever do this'

'It was a big amount that we took that night. When we have taken the 2 grams together on one night previously the effects have varied - I have had so many different experiences on it.'

In court he claimed: 'I first met Danielle about three years ago through friends and we got on great. We both used drugs so our families were not happy about us seeing each other but we were in love.

'At the beginning of this year she received £12k in compensation for abuse she suffered as a child. Me and Danielle had planned to live together and get a place of our own. She had put £2000 into my account to cover the deposit for somewhere we would rent. My eldest son was going to live with us and was going to be my carer.

'With the money she bought herself some new clothes and treated herself and the council were carrying out improvements on her flat. Wwe decided to get the apartment as it was coming up to Valentine's Day but in the period before this our drug use increased.

'Before we did not have the money available but now we had the money so started using more and we were taking drugs on a daily basis. Over the last two weeks our drug use spiralled out of control, we spent about £1000 a week on drugs. We were planning a new future together and that night was supposed to be a special occasion.

'I must have caused those injuries as I was the only person in there but I have no recollection of any violence taking place in the flat and jumping out of the window. My solicitors told me and I was devastated.'