Teenager found not guilty of murdering Guisborough grandad Alan Garbutt

A 17-year-old boy has been cleared of murdering a grandfather in Guisborough, despite admitting to the court he was holding a makeshift gun that went off in his hands.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, stood trial at Teesside Crown Court accused of killing Alan Garbutt with a homemade shotgun.

The youth denied murdering the 62-year-old in August last year.

He told the court during the two-week trial that he never thought the device would work, adding that the shooting was an accident.

On Tuesday 6 May, after nine hours of deliberations the jury found the teenager not guilty of murder and also cleared of the alternative charge of manslaughter.

The court heard that Mr Garbutt, a drug user and dealer, suffered a single gunshot wound to his chest from a homemade 'slam-gun'. Evidence presented in court said the makeshift weapon was made out of two pipes, with a shotgun cartridge inside - when the pipes slam together, it triggers the cartridge into firing.

The accused, who was 16 at the time of the incident, did not deny he was holding the device but that it simply went off by accident.

Details were also heard about the pair working together ‘cooking, bagging and delivering’ drugs in the local area. Jurors heard their relationship had broken down after some drugs went missing.

The defence claimed the row was quickly settled and there was "sweetness and light in the crack den".

As the teenager was dismissed from court, he turned to the judge and said "thank you, sir".

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