Trio are cleared after girl died following shooting

Rachel Davies, aged 18, from Whitefield, was socialising with friends at a flat in Oram Street, Bury on December 7 when she was shot in the face with an air weapon in what has been described as “a tragic accident”.

She was taken to Fairfield Hospital and treated for brain injuries, but her condition deteriorated and she died two days before Christmas.

Police charged Rachel’s friends — Stephen Hodgson, aged 28, of Walnut Avenue, Bury, Clint Kirkham, aged 28, of Wash Lane, Bury, and David McKeon, aged 27, of Rutland Drive, Bury — with possessing a firearm without a certificate. Yesterday, they appeared at Bolton Crown Court where the prosecution offered no evidence.

It is understood the case concerned whether the weapon was powerful enough to cause such damage that the owner would need a certificate to possess it.

Judge William Morris said: “This was clearly, for the Crown, a very difficult and troubling case and required a careful and lengthy consideration with experts to consider this air weapon and its peculiarity.

“I’m entirely satisfied that the decision reached is the correct and proper one.

“The reality is that this was a terrible human tragedy which was the result of a dreadful accident.”

Afterwards, Mr Hodgson, of Walnut Avenue, Bury, said: “My hand was not on the trigger — it just disarmed itself when I was holding it.

“This has totally knocked me for six. I’ve got two children and they have been suffering as a result of this.

“The outcome of the court case isn’t really a relief because of what happened to Rachel. I cannot begin to understand how her family must be feeling.

“I’m now going to be involved in a campaign about the dangers of these weapons.”

The court heard that the inquest into how Rachel, a former St Monica’s High School pupil, died will take place at Rochdale Coroner’s Court on November 5.

A spokesman for Rachel’s parents, Ricky and Angela, said they would not comment on the outcome of the case until after the inquest.