Builder jailed for shooting two free runners climbing on roof he suspected of being burglars _ Mail Online.pdf

8/14/2019 Builder jailed for shooting two free runners climbing on roof he suspected of being burglars _ Mail Online.pdf

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Builder jailed for shooting two free runnersclimbing on roof he suspected of being

burglars

Max Cave, 21 and Luke Harty, 19 were left bleeding from airgun pellets

They were on a rooftop when they were shot at by Eric Kingston

The 47-year-old builder has now been jailed for a year

By Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 12:20 GMT, 6 November 2013 | UPDATED: 01:07 GMT, 7 November 2013

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When Eric Kingston saw a group of young men clambering on to a roof, he was convinced they were tryingto burgle the property.

But instead of immediately calling the police, he grabbed an air rifle and in a moment of madness openedfire.

It was only after he wounded two of the four men that he discovered they were not a crime gang but agroup of free runners innocently performing their sport.

Scroll down for v ideo


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Shot: Foreman Eric Kingston, 47, opened fire with a .22 air rifle after the group of

'parkour' enthusiasts scaled a scaffolding rig. He pleaded guilty t o two counts of actualbodily harm yesterday


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Wounded: Free runner Max Cave's injuries from the shooting (left) and Luke Harty's

bloodied arm (right). The men had to have the pellets dug out of their skin

Kingston, 47, was jailed for a year after a court heard that he continued firing even when the group pleaded:Dont shoot were not robbing anything.

Max Cave and Luke Harty were left bleeding from pellet wounds.

They had been free running with fellow devotees Maza Shabazz and Ryan Walsh when the incidenthappened in August.


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Opened fire: Er ic Kingston has been jailed for 12 months for shooting at t wo 'parkour '

enthusiasts, even as they begged him to stop

The sport involves climbing and jumping between urban structures and was developed from the Frenchcraze parkour.

The four men had scaled scaffolding at Ryman stationers in Horsham, West Sussex, before resting on the

roof of the three-storey building.

As they enjoyed the view Mr Cave, 20, was shot in the abdomen by Kingston, who was leaning out of thewindow of a nearby building brandishing a .22 air rifle, Brighton Law Courts heard.

Mr Cave pleaded with Kingston to stop but the building site foreman continued to fire, hitting Mr Harty, 19,in the back.

Both victims suffered puncture wounds.

They had lead pellets removed and needed a course of antibiotics, the court heard.

Father-of-two Kingston, from Horsham, admitted two counts of causing bodily harm.

He apologised and said he was genuinely fearful that the group of men, who were dressed in leisure wear,would overpower him.

He was jailed for 12 months for what was described to the court as a moment of madness.


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Luke Harty said: 'All I felt was the pain, and I heard t he noise. I looked down and I was

bleeding, and I had no idea why'


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Max Cave (left) and Luke Harty recover by a police car after they were shot by Eric

Kingston

Judge Paul Tain said despite Kingstons previous good character he would be failing in his public duty if hedid not jail him.

One of your victims said You cant shoot at people and that is probably the simplest and most accurateexpression of this case, he said.

You should have closed the window and called the police.

Thats what ordinary law-abiding people do who are not overreacting. Anything beyond that is taking thelaw into your own hands.

It would be improper to impose anything other than an immediate custodial sentence, he added.


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A pellet in t he body of Luke Har ty, one of the free runners who was shot by Er ic

Kingston. The judge said that Kingston should have closed the window and called the

police


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The scaffolding in Horsham where the free runners were shot at by Eric Kingston

Daredevil: Max Cave in a photo from t he website of Storror, one of the wor ld's t op free

running groups


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The popularity of free running, or 'parkour' , has grown r apidly over t he last decade

At the time of the incident, Mr Harty said: All I felt was the pain, and I heard the noise. I looked down and Iwas bleeding, and I had no idea why.

We got down and I thought I was the only one who had been hit, but then I heard lots of screaming.

Youd think it happens maybe in London but I dont think I have ever heard of [something like thishappening] in Horsham.

Mr Cave and Mr Harty are members of Horsham Parkour.

Mr Cave is also a member of several other collectives, including the Storror team one of the worlds topfree-running units which has filmed stunts for global brands including Google and Red Bull.

Amazing free-running stunts from the Storror athletes


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Comments (413)

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North Man,Worcester, United Kingdom, 4 hours ago

Both as bad as each other if you ask me. Yes, he did over react, but, they didn't have to be on there so it could have beencompletely avoided....

1876

Geezer,Manchester, 12 hours ago

The guys should think themselves lucky they were not in the USA! They would have been dead! And the guy who shot themwould have received no sentence whatsoever.


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798

Spinner,Cheltenham, 12 hours ago

He will probably get the sentence suspended upon appeal.

237

Jonah,Launceston, 13 hours ago

he should have received a suspended sentence.

875

kelvin,devon, United Kingdom, 13 hours ago

when i confronted burglars on a roof a few years ago the police weren't allowed to go up and arrest them because of health andsafety. they escaped further down the road from where the police were waiting?

063

Acquired Taste,Cambridge, United Kingdom, 13 hours ago

Both daft and silly boys fun running up the side of scaffolding and silly man acting like Rambo.

1629

redwind,southampton, United Kingdom, 13 hours ago

Lucky for them this did not happen in the States, they would not be telling the story.

360

Whistler555,Kendal, United Kingdom, 13 hours ago

FREE, one of the best words in the dictionary. If it was my son I would rather he was free running than sat behind a desk all hisbloody life.

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Ad9 Norwich,Norwich, United Kingdom, 14 hours ago

Free runners are very annoying. Get a job!

1765

Jack,London, 14 hours ago

Utterly absurd on both sides.

1127

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Builder jailed for shooting two free runners climbing on roof he suspected of being burglars _ Mail Online.pdf