A Darling Downs man has been found guilty of the manslaughter of a local rugby league personality on Christmas Day in 2022.

Callum Anthony Padaric Cook, 33, was initially charged with the murder of Russell Klein, 55, following his death at Millmerran in 2022.

Following two full days of deliberation, a Toowoomba Supreme Court jury found Cook not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.

Mr Klein died outside his house after he was hit by a car driven by Cook on Christmas Day, following an earlier verbal argument between his fiance, Janene Hall, and Cook.

During the Toowoomba Supreme Court trial, Cook became emotional when he testified on Monday that he drove "at him" [Russell Klein] and described how he "punched" the accelerator to drive at speed after Mr Klein aimed a gun at him.

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