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Never bring a face to a harpoon fight!
Never bring a face to a harpoon fight!
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Man acquitted of harpoon attack
A man accused of firing a harpoon into a teenager's face has been cleared of all charges against him after a jury accepted he acted in self-defence.
Nathan Kirk was cleared of unlawfully possessing an offensive weapon after earlier being acquitted of one charge of grievous bodily harm with intent.
The 25-year-old, from Hungerford, Berkshire, was also cleared of grievous bodily harm, on Thursday.
The harpoon hit Matthew Hawkins in the face, causing him to lose an eye.
Mr Kirk himself had been stabbed close to his heart during the fight in March 2003.
The jury at Reading Crown Court decided that the gun had been fired by Mr Kirk accidentally during the fight.
He brought out the scuba gun when a gang, including the 15-year-old, arrived at his girlfriend's flat in Thatcham following an argument over vandalism to a telephone box.
During the brawl, it was fired and became lodged in the teenager's face.
'Overjoyed and relieved'
Hawkins' injury was so serious that he lost an eye and paramedics had to use bolt-cutters to cut off part of the three-pronged harpoon.
Mr Kirk left the court without commenting to reporters waiting outside, but a statement read by his solicitor Georgina Murray said: "He is overjoyed and relieved that this traumatic case has now come to an end.
"He now wants to put the past 14 months behind him and get his life back on track.
"He is eternally grateful to his mother, father, family and friends for their support during the most difficult period of his life so far."
The court was told how Mr Kirk opened the door of the flat to Hawkins, his half-brother Barry Lovegrove and his sister's boyfriend, Derek Watkins.
Gang charged
The trio punched and kicked him and stabbed him close to the heart.
He retreated inside and brought out the harpoon to frighten the gang, according to Michael Topolski QC, defending.
Hawkins, Lovegrove and Watkins were also charged in connection with the fight and tried at Reading Crown Court earlier this year.
Watkins, 37, of Thatcham, was discharged on all counts.
Hawkins was discharged on two counts but convicted of affray and given a community punishment and rehabilitation order.
Lovegrove, 28, of Thatcham, was jailed for 18 months for affray.
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Man acquitted of harpoon attack
A man accused of firing a harpoon into a teenager's face has been cleared of all charges against him after a jury accepted he acted in self-defence.
Nathan Kirk was cleared of unlawfully possessing an offensive weapon after earlier being acquitted of one charge of grievous bodily harm with intent.
The 25-year-old, from Hungerford, Berkshire, was also cleared of grievous bodily harm, on Thursday.
The harpoon hit Matthew Hawkins in the face, causing him to lose an eye.
Mr Kirk himself had been stabbed close to his heart during the fight in March 2003.
The jury at Reading Crown Court decided that the gun had been fired by Mr Kirk accidentally during the fight.
He brought out the scuba gun when a gang, including the 15-year-old, arrived at his girlfriend's flat in Thatcham following an argument over vandalism to a telephone box.
During the brawl, it was fired and became lodged in the teenager's face.
'Overjoyed and relieved'
Hawkins' injury was so serious that he lost an eye and paramedics had to use bolt-cutters to cut off part of the three-pronged harpoon.
Mr Kirk left the court without commenting to reporters waiting outside, but a statement read by his solicitor Georgina Murray said: "He is overjoyed and relieved that this traumatic case has now come to an end.
"He now wants to put the past 14 months behind him and get his life back on track.
"He is eternally grateful to his mother, father, family and friends for their support during the most difficult period of his life so far."
The court was told how Mr Kirk opened the door of the flat to Hawkins, his half-brother Barry Lovegrove and his sister's boyfriend, Derek Watkins.
Gang charged
The trio punched and kicked him and stabbed him close to the heart.
He retreated inside and brought out the harpoon to frighten the gang, according to Michael Topolski QC, defending.
Hawkins, Lovegrove and Watkins were also charged in connection with the fight and tried at Reading Crown Court earlier this year.
Watkins, 37, of Thatcham, was discharged on all counts.
Hawkins was discharged on two counts but convicted of affray and given a community punishment and rehabilitation order.
Lovegrove, 28, of Thatcham, was jailed for 18 months for affray.
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