Chatham man Nathan Slade cleared of trying to kill visitor after Samurai sword prank
The violence broke out at
a flat in Bryant Street, Chatham
by Keith Hunt
A man who caused serious wounds after a prank involving Samurai
swords boiled over into violence has been cleared of attempted
murder.
Nathan Slade, who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, was also
acquitted of wounding with intent after claiming he acted in
self-defence when he stabbed Graham Winder.
Mr Winder, 26, was taken to hospital with his small bowel
protruding from his abdomen and a collapsed lung.
Deborah Charles, prosecuting, alleged Mr Slade attempted to
kill Mr Winder by repeatedly stabbing him.
"They were talking about cutting his fingers off and feeding him to the pigs..." – Deborah Charles, prosecuting
Maidstone Crown Court heard the incident happened at Mr Slade's
third floor flat at Wellington Court in Bryant Street, Chatham, on
August 4 last year.
Mr Winder was there with Nick Bennett and his then girlfriend
Kirsty Deakins. During the evening, 22-year-old Mr Slade
touched Miss Deakins' thigh.
Mr Bennett and Mr Winder told him "in no uncertain terms" he
should not have done it. "On anyone's view, they began to behave
idiotically," said Miss Charles.
Mr Bennett and Mr Winder grabbed two Samurai swords Mr Slade had
in the flat and teased him, asking what they should do with
him.
"They were talking about cutting his fingers off and feeding him
to the pigs," said the prosecutor. "They were obviously joking.
They didn't touch him with the swords."
But because Mr Slade suffered from the form of autism, he may
have taken it more seriously, said Miss Charles.
Nathan Slade was
acquitted at Maidstone Crown Court
Mr Bennett left the flat for a telephone call and Mr Winder put
the swords back in the corner. But Slade felt threatened and
grabbed a knife from the kitchen.
It was then that Mr Winder suffered multiple wounds, two of
which were in the back to the shoulder blades.
Mr Winder was taken to hospital and treated for his injuries. He
was on a ventilator for two days and was not discharged for two
weeks.
Denying the charges, Mr Slade, now of Luton Road, Chatham, said:
"I thought he would attack me."
Michael Haynes, defending, asked: "Did you when you stabbed him
intend to kill him? Did you intend to cause him really serious
harm?"
Mr Slade answered "No" to both questions, adding: "When I came
out of the kitchen, my intention was to escape from the flat."
Neither Mr Winder nor Mr Bennett were called as witnesses.
24/01/13
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