Teenage boy found not guilty of murder of 16-year-old in Chippenham
Shayne Hambakachere, 16, died after being stabbed in Chippenham in January
A teenager has been found not guilty of the murder of a 16-year-old boy in Chippenham earlier this year.
Shayne Hambakachere, a year 11 pupil at Hardenhuish School in Chippenham, died after being stabbed on 31st January.
Today (20 August) after nearly 12 hours of deliberations a jury at Bristol Crown Court found the 16-year-old not guilty of murder as well as not guilty of a separate charge of manslaughter.
The trail heard the attack happened near London Road and that Shayne was taken to Southmead Hospital in Bristol, where he succumbed to the stab wound, which had penetrated his heart.
A 16-year-old boy who can't be named because of his age, denied murder and told the jury that he'd acted in self-defence after Shayne had been to his home to resolve a dispute over the alleged theft of cannabis.
Jurors heard the defendant had previously robbed Shayne of cannabis and money, then sent a video of himself with the drugs.
Shayne had messaged the boy to say it belonged to someone else, with the boy believing it to be connected to the 2-4s, a gang based in Bristol.
Giving evidence, the 16-year-old boy previously told the court "I was defending myself before he attacked me," wrongly believing that Shayne had a weapon too and that he'd be joined by other people.
As the verdict was read out today the boy showed no emotion.
The trial which lasted nine days began on 10 August.