Murder acquittal for Janick Fielding after three trials

After three trials before the Resident Judge at Reading Crown Court, Janick Fielding secured the complete acquittal of a youth of hitherto impeccable character who had admitted to stabbing another in the heart and colon during a fight in the street at midnight over the theft of a stolen bag. The case featured a detailed exploration of how the defendant and his family had been the subject of extensive bullying and threats, including threats to life, by friends of the stabbed youth, and careful translation and interpretation of text-speak. The case began as a two-handed attempted murder, with a cutthroat defence between the defendants. The jury in the first trial were discharged during their deliberation when a highly prejudicial photograph of an automatic firearm was found to have been left by the Crown in one of their bundles. At the second trial both defendants were acquitted of the attempted murder and the co-defendant of the alternative s.18. At the second retrial the defendant was acquitted of the s.18.