Woman acquitted over toddler air rifle shooting

Harry was just 18 months old when Jordan Walters pointed the weapon at him and pulled the trigger in July last year.

Horseman was accused of telling Walters: "Shoot Harry, just to frighten him, to shut him up, shoot it at Harry."

Bristol Crown Court heard that Harry was visiting Horseman's home in Bishport Avenue, Hartcliffe, with his mother Amy Allen and older brother Riley when he was shot.

Walters has already admitted unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on the toddler.

Horseman, of Oak House, Bishport Avene, Hartcliffe, Bristol, showed no emotion when the jury returned the not guilty verdict to the single charge she faced.

Judge Julian Lambert discharged her and said: "You have been acquitted on the verdict of a jury of your peers.

"You may leave the dock."

During the two-day trial Horseman told the court how Harry was injured as she chatted with her friend Miss Allen in the lounge of her two-bedroom flat.

"I couldn't see what Jordan was doing. All I know was that he was cleaning the gun.

"I know he had the gun out but I couldn't see him," she said.

She denied telling Walters to shoot Harry, telling the jury: "No, Jordan didn't hear what I said. I can't remember saying that."

Paul Cook, defending, asked Horseman: "What was the first you knew about the gun being fired?"

She replied: "I didn't even know it was. I just looked down and looked up and saw Harry was bleeding.

"That's all that I can remember. Harry was sat on his mum's lap.

"Jordan said to Amy 'What do I do?' and Amy said 'ring the ambulance' and that's what he did.

"There was lots of ambulances arriving. It just happened so fast.

"I just remember Harry bleeding and the police turning up. I can't remember anything else."

Asked how she felt about the incident, Horseman replied: "Horrible, I felt bad, sick... like that could have been my child."

Harry, now aged two, was taken to Bristol Children's Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.

Doctors discovered he had suffered a displaced skull fracture and swelling and bleeding on the brain after being shot in the right temple. The pellet has not been found.

Harry's speech is now developing normally but he suffers from several post-traumatic seizures a day and is being treated with anticonvulsant drugs.

Jurors were not told that Harry had been left blinded in one eye as a result of his head injury.

Horseman did not comment as she was driven away from court by members of her family.

Harry's parents, Miss Allen and Edward Studley, also did not comment as they left court hand in hand.

Speaking last year, Miss Allen said: "It's been a hard and emotional time for the family and everyone that's been supporting us.

"It's been difficult for them to see Harry the way he was and it's still hard for them now to look at him in hospital and see him in general. It's been an emotional ride for us all."

Mr Studley said: "It's going to be a long road to recovery but he's getting there, back to the little boy he was before.

"Thing are going well, he is recovering really well at the moment but things could still go wrong in the future.

"Harry's the boss, it's up to him what he does and how quickly he recovers from all this. Only time will tell. We're there with him every day."

PA