R v W Reading Crown Court

The defendant, a youth was charged s.18 GBH and possession of a bladed article. The Crown Prosecution Service’s case was that the defendant attacked the complainant in an unprovoked attack. The jury accepted the defence case that the defendant was acting in self defence and acquitted him of all charges.

The defendant pleaded guilty to unlawful act manslaughter in respect to the death of PC Andrew Harper. This plea was not deemed acceptable to the Crown Prosecution Service so the case proceeded to trial. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty to murder.