TV researcher convicted of murder

Brian Waters was tortured in front of his children

An undercover researcher who had worked for the BBC has been found guilty of murdering a man who was tortured to death in front of his children.

James Raven, 44, of Bolton, subjected drug dealer Brian Waters to "barbaric torture", Chester Crown Court heard.

He and John Wilson, 55, of Glossop, Derbyshire, were found guilty of murder and two counts of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm.

The murder happened at a farmhouse in Tabley, Cheshire, last year.

Ashley Guishard, 30, of Sale, Greater Manchester, was cleared of all charges.

The murder took place at this farmhouse in Cheshire

The jury was sent home for the night after failing to reach a verdict on Otis Matthews, 27, of Manchester, who has been charged with the same offences.

Jurors will continue deliberating on Thursday morning.

The court was told Wilson had ordered the attack after falling out with Mr Waters over a debt.

His adult son and daughter were tied up and forced to watch while he was beaten, whipped, burned and attacked with a staple gun.

He was then hung upside down and assaulted, resulting in fatal internal injuries.

During the trial, it was revealed Raven and his cousin Christopher More earned up to £500 a day helping to set up meetings with underworld contacts for undercover reporters from the BBC and Channel 4.

Mr More is still wanted by police in connection with Mr Waters' murder.

Raven worked on programmes including Macintyre Uncovered and Crooked Britain for the BBC as well as Channel 4's Sleepers.

The court was told BBC producers knew he had criminal convictions but believed he was a reformed character.

The jury reached the verdicts after 16 hours of deliberation.

A BBC spokeswoman said: "From time to time, in cases of overriding public interest, the BBC, like other media organisations, works with people who have had criminal convictions in order to expose criminality or serious wrongdoing.

"At the time of these offences, James Raven was no longer working for the BBC."