Teenager Tashan Rudland avoids being locked up after accidentally shooting friend at Dartford party
Tashan Rudland's case was
heard at Maidstone Crown Court
by Chris Hunter
A teenager has walked free from court after he admitted
shooting his friend in the liver.
Tashan Rudland, 19, picked up an air rifle during a wild drink
and drug-fuelled party at Park Road, Dartford, in November last
year.
He then shot his pal Chris Goode in the side.
The diamond broker, of Canterbury Close, Dartford, admitted
causing grievous bodily harm but denied intent when he appeared at
Maidstone Crown Court.
Victim Mr Goode gave evidence at the hearing to determine if
Rudland had fired the gun on purpose. The pellet is still lodged in
his liver.
Mr Goode had been left needing lengthy hospital treatment for
life-threatening injuries.
He said he had difficulty remembering everything about the
incident and that vodka, ecstasy and cocaine had been flowing
throughout the night.
He had decided to lie down on a bed when he became aware of
Rudland with
"It was like a punch in the ribs and then I had trouble breathing..." – shooting victim Chris Goode
the
high-powered rifle, which had been kept at the address, and
remembered it being fired.
"It was surprising," said Mr Goode, who has made a full
recovery. "It was like a punch in the ribs and then I had trouble
breathing."
He added: "I remember being on the couch and he [Rudland] was at
the front door. A lot of people were telling him to get out."
He did not realise the full extent of the damage until later,
when he learned the pellet had pierced his lung and ended up in his
liver, where it remains to this day after surgeons decided not to
operate.
The gun was produced in court and Judge Michael Carroll was told
police discovered it fired with very little pressure on the
trigger.
He heard how Rudland had left school with nine GCSEs and got an
NVQ from North West Kent College.
He was now working as a diamond broker in Canary Wharf.
Rudland appeared in court for a "trial of issue". He denied the
intent charge.
The judge agreed there was no intent, and dismissed that
charge.
He added: "I'm sentencing on the basis that this was a reckless
act. There's not a drop of malice in this case, there's no
animosity towards the victim and I have to say there's no evidence
of animosity from the victim towards the defendant, even now."
Judge Carroll gave Rudland full credit for having pleaded guilty
to causing GBH at the earliest opportunity.
He was sentenced to 12 months in a young offenders' institution
- suspended for two years - and ordered to do 200 hours
of unpaid work and pay compensation of £1,000.
He ordered the gun should be forfeited to police.
21/11/12
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