A Birkenhead woman whose partner killed a 30-year-old man in New Brighton was today found guilty of manslaughter for encouraging the attack.

Naomi Ogden and Christopher Cousins chased Zac Wells in the early hours of Boxing Day last year – while a teenage boy filmed the assault on Cousins’ iPhone.

The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was also convicted of manslaughter and he broke down in tears in the dock when the jury returned their verdicts.

During the two-week trial the Liverpool Crown jury heard that 27-year-old Ogden, high on cocaine, had been “spoiling for a fight” and encouraged Cousins to give Mr Wells “a pasting” following a row at Evo’s Loft nightclub in New Brighton.

The victim was chased for about 70 metres before he was punched and possibly tripped by amateur boxer Cousins causing him to fall and fracture his skull.

Mr Wells, a father-of-two from Liscard, died in hospital from devastating head injuries nine days later.

Cousins, 29, of Dundee Grove, Poulton, Wallasey, pleaded guilty to manslaughter before the trial began.

Ogden, of Old Chester Road, Tranmere, and the boy denied manslaughter but were both unanimously convicted after almost seven hours deliberations.

A friend of Ogden and Cousins, 19-year-old Daniel Gardner, of Comely Bank Road, Egremont, Wallasey, was cleared of manslaughter.

He comforted his distraught 16-year-old companion before being discharged from the dock.

Judge David Aubrey, QC, requested pre-sentence reports for the two defendants and said Ogden’s must contain details of arrangements about future care of her and Cousins’ children.

They are both on bail but Ogden now has a curfew with a tag from 8pm to 7am until they return for sentencing on August 30.

He told them: “The granting of bail is no indication whatsoever as to the likely sentence, indeed to the contrary, each of you must expect to receive an immediate custodial sentence.”

During the trial the jury heard the incident followed a dance floor dispute which saw Ogden and Mr Wells arguing after she took exception to him dancing with her sister because he had a girlfriend.

They seemed to calm down before a further dispute when Cousins was restrained by friends and Ogden punched Mr Wells in the face.

John McDermott, QC, prosecuting, said Ogden and Cousins had “acted with one mind.”

He said Ogden’s part in inciting violence was clear from CCTV and audio recordings: “Her protestations that she was trying to stop the fight as opposed to inciting it were shown to be lies.”

Outlining the events he said that Mr Wells “may have been being a nuisance” on the night and was ejected from the club by bouncers, who refused to let him return.

He hung around outside repeatedly trying to get back in before Gardner and the boy arrived at the venue shortly after and met Cousins.

Footage from inside the club showed Cousins hand his phone over to the boy, who admitted using it to film the fatal attack.

Cousins emerged and confronted Mr Wells at around 3.25am.

Mr Wells could be heard asking: “Let me take my watch off first” as Cousins approached him “rolling his fists in a boxer’s pose”.

Body-cam footage from a doorman caught Ogden, who followed shortly behind her boyfriend, shouting: “Go on then, take your watch off you little f*****.”

A further CCTV clip from outside the club showed Mr Wells initially standing his ground before running off as Cousins tried to swipe his feet with a kick.

The fatal blow occurred off-screen but seconds later the group could be seen returning to the club, leaving the victim lying on the pavement.