Death from a Gyrocopter! Update

dingbat

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hi all,

Just an update for the interested parties!



An animal rights enthusiast who piloted a gyrocopter which killed a hunt supporter was today cleared of manslaughter.


Warwickshire Hunt member Trevor Morse died on March 9 last year when he was struck by the blade of a gyrocopter at Long Marston airfield.


Jurors at Birmingham Crown Court took seven and a half hours to clear pilot Bryan Griffiths, 55, of manslaughter by gross negligence.


Griffiths showed no reaction as the verdict was delivered but there were gasps and some applause from supporters in the public gallery.



During the two-week trial, the court heard that Mr Morse's head was cleaved "from top to bottom" by the blade of the gyrocopter as he tried to stop it from taking off.

Mr Morse, 48, refused to move out of the way as Griffiths went towards him; the rear propellor of the aircraft, moving at a speed approaching 200mph, cut his head from top to bottom, killing him instantly, the court heard.


Griffiths had been monitoring the hunt from the air and had stopped at the airfield, near Stratford-upon-Avon, to re-fuel.


Jurors heard he believed he had been shot at from the ground and feared a "gang" was on the way to attack him.


The incident was caught on camera by the man who brought fuel to the airfield - Peter Bunce, and jurors watched an edited video of the confrontation.





The jury heard that Mr Morse, a road monitor with the hunt, and one of the hunt masters had "a plan" to prevent the gyrocopter from taking off when it stopped to refuel.

Anthony Spencer, one of the hunt's six masters, said they had agreed to "pin it in" and keep it on the ground so they could take photographs of the pilot.


An eye witness described how Mr Morse arrived at the airfield in his blue Land Rover, which he parked at the nose of the gyrocopter, and began taking pictures.


Michael Tipping, who described himself as an "aviation fanatic", told the court he found Mr Morse's manner "intrusive and aggressive".


Mr Tipping was at the scene of the stand-off and had chatted to Griffiths about the gyrocopter before Mr Morse arrived.


He said: "When I spoke to him asking what he took pictures of my car for, my mind said to me: 'You don't want to mess with this man'".




Speaking outside the court, Judy Gilbert, a hunt monitor and friend of Mr Griffiths, said: "We just wanted to say how absolutely delighted and relieved we are that Mr Griffiths has been found not guilty.

Gary

LAA.BRA.PRA...................:plane:
 
Mr Morse arrived at the airfield in his blue Land Rover, which he parked at the nose of the gyrocopter, and began taking pictures.
Did he then start the gyro? Obviously he isn't going anywhere, so you would shut it down if it was running. All very strange.
 
I was under the impression the gyro was running and Mr. Morse drove up to it and parked in front of it. Mr. Griffiths then turned and went around it to avoid the confrontation. Mr Morse then ran and did the same thing by standing in front of the gyro. When Mr. Griffiths turned and tried to go around him like he did with the truck, he hit him.
 
Judgment stunted by fear and anger.

Judgment stunted by fear and anger.

I feel that trying to figure it out other than realizing that it was a clash of stupidity is without purpose.

Thank you, Vance
 
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Amen Vance. You sum it up perfectly.
 
I agree completely Vance, a moments loss of reality for all concerned ended in tragedy. It all happens very quickly when flying machines are concerned.

It doesn't really matter now what we think he did or didn't do, he was tried in accordance with the law of the land and cleared by a Jury.
 
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