A gypsy gunman was cleared at the Old Bailey today

A gypsy gunman was cleared at the Old Bailey today (thurs) of the horrific shotgun murder of a family rival.

Leonard Chambers jnr, 27, had admitted firing a gun during a road-side fight with victim David Stacey Senior, 53, last February.

But after nearly ten hours of deliberation a jury found the defendant, and his father Leonard Chambers snr, 50, not guilty of murder.

Chambers snr was also cleared of manslaughter.

But the jury was discharged after they failed to reach a verdict on charge of manslaughter in relation to Chambers jnr.

Both men were also acquitted of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm, but were both convicted of possessing a loaded firearm in a public place.

Chambers jnr maintained during the trial he had only meant to ‘scare’ David Stacey snr by firing over his head during a fight in a Chessington lay-by and accidentally shot him in the face.

The court heard how a vendetta had developed after Chambers snr refused to provide an alibi for the dead man’s son, David Stacey jnr, who was subsequently jailed for fraud.

It was revealed David Stacey jnr was locked up for nine years after he conned elderly people out of money by promising to do building work that was never completed.

Chambers snr had challenged Stacey snr to a fistfight on Epsom Downs after the victim had beaten up Chambers jnr in the Kingfisher pub in Ewell.

But fearing Stacey’s reputation for violence, father and son decided to intercept him in Moor Lane.

Chambers snr was badly beaten by a truncheon-wielding Stacey before his son fired the fatal shot.

The father insisted he never intended for his son to use the shotgun, which was placed in their car by a mysterious relative both men refused to name in court.

Both men were remanded in custody for pre-sentence reports for the firearm offence.

The prosecution will decide whether to retry Chambers jnr for manslaughter within the next seven days.

The victim was well-known at various fairs throughout England, trading horses at fairs in Appleby, Cumberland, Ayr in Scotland, and Manchester, and was a regular at Epsom races.

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