An 83-year-old farmer from East Yorkshire has been found not guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm after shooting a suspected thief in the foot. The jury at Hull Crown Court took just 24 minutes to clear Kenneth Hugill, who said he acted in self-defence when he fired a shotgun at a vehicle on his farm in Wilberfoss in November 2015.
The three-day trial heard that Hugill went outside after seeing a vehicle on his property in the early hours. He told the jury he was “petrified” when he heard the engine revving and thought it was being driven towards him. He used a shotgun, a gift from his parents for his 21st birthday, to shoot down the side of the vehicle to stop it and frighten the occupants. He said he did not intend to injure anyone and was unaware anyone had been hit.
The injured man, Richard Stables, attended hospital the same day with a gunshot wound to his foot. He initially gave three different accounts but eventually revealed he was shot by a farmer. Stables said he had been out lamping with a friend and had stopped to let the dog out, denying poaching.
Speaking outside court, Hugill said: “I’m very, very pleased. It’s marvellous. We thought I shouldn’t have been prosecuted right from the start … I pulled the trigger because I thought that car was going to kill me.” His son, David Hugill, criticised Humberside Police for taking 15 hours to respond to his 2.23am call reporting a suspected diesel theft, and said the incident only escalated after they arrived. He estimated the family’s legal costs at over £30,000.
Judge David Tremberg addressed the jurors, saying: “You will perhaps understand this is the sort of case where the prosecution cannot overlook it and it is a case which requires the verdict of a jury.” The Crown Prosecution Service stated it was satisfied there was sufficient evidence to put the matter before a court. Humberside Police defended their response, saying it was appropriate given the serious injury.
