An 83-year-old farmer who shot a man he suspected of being a thief has been found not guilty of grievous bodily harm.

Kenneth Hugill, of Wilberfoss, East Yorkshire, said he had not meant to harm Richard Stables - who was shot in the foot - and fired to scare off intruders he thought were there to steal diesel.

Mr Hugill had gone to bed at 9pm with his wife Sheila but was woken by a light at around 2am.

"The next thing was a slight silhouette of a vehicle going past the farmyard entrance," he told Hull Crown Court. "The vehicle did not have its lights on. I thought it was up to no good."

Once outside, Mr Hugill said he was "petrified" when he heard its engine revving, fearing it was being driven towards him.

"I pulled the trigger because I thought that car was going to kill me," he told jurors.

Mr Hugill said he had not intended to injure anyone and did not realise anyone had been hit.

"I fired a shot down the side of the vehicle, near to the floor, into the ground to stop it coming at me," he said of the incident on 13 November 2015.

He said he had fired the second shot in the air so "they would keep on going and not come back".

The pensioner hit convicted burglar Richard Stables, 44, in the foot.

He denied attempting to steal diesel and said he had been out hunting with a friend when he stumbled on the farm and was shot without warning.

But the jury in the three-day trial deliberated for just 24 minutes before accepting Mr Hugill's version of events.

Mr Hugill, who uses a walking stick and a hearing aid, thanked the jury, but criticised prosecutors.

"We thought I shouldn't have been prosecuted right from the start, I didn't feel it was justified at the time," he said.
SOURCE: SKY NEWS

Mr Hugill will be potentially paying off these legal fees for the rest of his life despite winning the case and being cleared of any wrongdoing.

The funds raised will help towards their legal costs and installing additional security.