Man acquitted of attempted murder

A man who fired a pump action shotgun through his landlord's front door has been acquitted of attempted murder.

Steven Ford, 44, attacked Mark Fearn's Northants home after he was evicted from the snooker club he rented from him, Northampton Crown Court heard.

A jury found Ford not guilty of attempted murder, attempted GBH with intent and possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence.

He had already pleaded guilty to having a firearm with intent to cause fear.

'Showered with splinters'

During the two-day trial, the court heard Ford had arrived at Mr Fearn's house in Raunds, at 0530 BST in October last year, and opened fire when his landlord slammed the door.

He had fired seven shots from the Franchi SPAS pump-action shotgun, which went through the front door of the house, the court heard.

The shots also damaged an interior door and smashed a window at the back of the house.

Mr Fearn dived through a side door to avoid being injured, and was showered by splinters of wood and glass, the court heard.

His daughter Simone, 20, had originally heard the doorbell ring and woken her father, but dived under her bed with her pet dog when the shots were fired.

Defendant called police

Ford claimed during the trial that he had never meant to hurt Mr Fearn - only to scare him.

He claimed his landlord had harassed him when he first took over the lease of the snooker club three or four years previously.

Ford called police straight after the incident to tell them what he had done, the court heard.

He said he had not expected the shots to go through the door and claimed that if he had wanted to kill Mr Fearn he could have done so when he first answered the door.

Ford was remanded into custody and will be sentenced for possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear at Northampton Crown Court on 6 June.