Man cleared in gun death

Monday 21 October 1996 23:02 BST

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A gun-club member who shot dead a car thief was yesterday cleared of manslaughter.

Gamekeeper Martin Wise, 35, shot 20-year-old Matthew Hodge with a .25 auto baby Browning pistol in August last year. He caught the thief trying to steal a Ford Escort from outside his home in Hildenborough, Kent. Mr Wise told the Crown Court in Maidstone that the gun had gone off accidentally.

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Man cleared in gun death

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