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Teen Claims Self-Defense in Fatal Stair Fall
9 Jan
Summary
- Teenager claims he kicked neighbor in fear for his life.
- Neighbor died three days after falling down stairs.
- Confrontation stemmed from dispute over rubbish in a shed.
A 19-year-old defendant, Aston Harris, claims he acted in self-defense when he kicked his girlfriend's neighbor, Sean Howson, 56, causing him to fall down a flight of stairs. Harris testified at Lincoln Crown Court that he believed Howson intended to harm him during the confrontation on July 3 last year. He stated, "When he got close and I knew he was in range to attack me, I kicked him."
The fatal incident followed an argument over rubbish discovered in a shared shed. After exchanging messages, Howson, accompanied by a friend, ascended stairs from his ground-floor flat to the first-floor property where Harris was staying. The prosecution alleges Harris's kick was unlawful and led to Howson's fall. Harris maintained he did not intend to cause harm and was protecting himself, describing Howson as "scary" and that he was "screaming, telling him to stop."
Following Howson's fall, Harris reported seeing blood and panicking, subsequently fleeing to a park. Approximately five hours after the incident, he approached a police officer, stating, "I was literally defending myself, he [Howson] came at me." Howson died in hospital three days later. The trial is ongoing.
