Jury fails to reach verdict in manslaughter trial
Peter Skilton was fatally injured in the village of Snitterby last December
- Published
A man who was accused of unlawfully killing his elderly stepfather faces a possible retrial after jurors failed to reach a verdict.
Dr Jason Waite, 54, of Church Lane, Waddingham, Lincolnshire, had denied the manslaughter of Peter Skilton, 87.
The prosecution alleged Mr Skilton died from a severe head injury after he was pushed to the ground by Dr Waite, his stepson, during a row involving a chair at his late mother's cottage in the village of Snitterby.
A jury at Lincoln Crown Court failed to reach a verdict on the manslaughter charge after deliberating for more than five hours and was discharged by the judge.
Dr Waite was cleared of a murder charge earlier in the trial after Judge Catarina Sjolin Knight ruled there was insufficient evidence to prove he either intended to kill or cause serious harm to Mr Skilton.
In his evidence, Dr Waite insisted there was no intention to push Mr Skilton over during the confrontation.
Dr Waite told jurors he was attacked by the older man whom he only pushed away to create some space between them.
Dr Waite, a Newcastle University graduate who previously worked for Rolls Royce, explained that he never expected Mr Skilton to lose his footing and fall.
Prosecutors had claimed Dr Waite, "hated" his stepfather following a long-running legal battle over his late mother's £4m estate, which ended in a High Court judgement nine days before Mr Skilton's death.
But Dr Waite denied he was acting out of anger or had lost perspective when he became involved in the confrontation with Mr Skilton on 17 December last year.
Dr Waite also denied the prosecution suggestions that he was "the aggressor" and pushed Peter Skilton out of hate for his stepfather.
"I don't hate anyone," Dr Waite replied.
Prosecutors were given seven days to decide if they will seek a retrial.
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