Josh Baxter, 28, was jailed for four years after being found guilty of intentional strangulation and GBH following the death of Michael Barron, 38, after an extreme sex session in Manchester

A man who has been imprisoned following the devastating death of Michael Barron conducted a chilling Google search just moments after the incident. Josh Baxter, 28, invited Michael, 38, a former actor in Emmerdale and Hollyoaks, to his flat in Manchester after the pair had exchanged explicit messages on the dating app, Grindr.

Tragically, Michael lost his life after an ‘extreme’ sexual encounter with Baxter, during which he was bound with rope by the 28 year old and suffocated for at least half an hour. Baxter denied charges of manslaughter, intentional strangulation or suffocation, and unlawfully inflicting grievous bodily harm during a trial last month.

A jury acquitted him of manslaughter, but found him guilty of intentional strangulation or suffocation, and unlawfully inflicting grievous bodily harm.

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Baxter, from Manchester, who was sentenced to four years in prison today, made a specific online search after the pair had sex. In addition to ordering a takeaway on Deliveroo – whilst messaging several other men on Grindr – he searched on Google: “If you accidentally kill someone by strangling them in sex do you go to prison?”.

After collecting his meal from downstairs, Baxter noticed that Michael’s face had turned a ‘deep purple’ and that he could no longer hear any snoring. He conducted various online searches, including ‘purple face whilst sleeping’; ‘how to tell if someone is alive’; and ‘how to tell if someone is breathing’, reports the Mirror.

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Delivering her sentence, Judge Tina Landale said: “You decided to ignore those warnings and during your trial in evidence you told the jury you still did not consider choking to be dangerous. You encouraged Mr Barron to become extremely drunk. During sexual activity you choked Mr Barron so hard it fractured a bone and cartilage in his neck. You were reckless in doing so.”

Anne Whyte KC, prosecuting, told the trial Baxter had ‘quite specific sexual interests’, which he told Michael about in a message on Grindr after they connected.

In the message, Baxter said he liked it ‘rough’ and asked if Michael would let him ‘choke him, tie him up, pull his hair, spit on him, call him names, get him so drunk he was weak and defenceless and punch him’. He also asked if Michael would ‘do rape role play’.

Michael’s heartbroken mother paid tribute to her aspiring actor son, whom she described as her “best friend”. Mary Power tearfully described her son as ‘my best friend’ as well as ‘kind, compassionate and very unique’.

Her moving speech came moments before the sentencing of a man who had lured her son to his flat to get intoxicated before engaging in sex so violent it resulted in a bone fracturing in his neck. The 38 year old tragically passed away after a cardiac arrest caused by oxygen deprivation to the brain.

In his testimony, Baxter admitted that he had unintentionally caused the neck injury during “consensual acts”. He stated: “I never saw it as a dangerous activity. I have never hurt someone before, doing choking.”

A month prior to Michael’s death, Baxter had been cautioned by another individual about the risks associated with choking. Following this warning, an internet search was conducted which corroborated these dangers, the court was told.