The violence broke out at a flat in Bryant Street, Chatham

by Keith Hunt

A man who caused serious wounds after a prank involving Samurai swords boiled over into violence has been cleared of attempted murder.

Nathan Slade, who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, was also acquitted of wounding with intent after claiming he acted in self-defence when he stabbed Graham Winder.

Mr Winder, 26, was taken to hospital with his small bowel protruding from his abdomen and a collapsed lung.

Deborah Charles, prosecuting, alleged Mr Slade attempted to kill Mr Winder by repeatedly stabbing him.

"they were talking about cutting his fingers off and feeding him to the pigs..." – deborah charles, prosecuting

Maidstone Crown Court heard the incident happened at Mr Slade's third floor flat at Wellington Court in Bryant Street, Chatham, on August 4 last year.

Mr Winder was there with Nick Bennett and his then girlfriend Kirsty Deakins. During the evening, 22-year-old Mr Slade touched Miss Deakins' thigh.

Mr Bennett and Mr Winder told him "in no uncertain terms" he should not have done it. "On anyone's view, they began to behave idiotically," said Miss Charles.

Mr Bennett and Mr Winder grabbed two Samurai swords Mr Slade had in the flat and teased him, asking what they should do with him.

"They were talking about cutting his fingers off and feeding him to the pigs," said the prosecutor. "They were obviously joking. They didn't touch him with the swords."

But because Mr Slade suffered from the form of autism, he may have taken it more seriously, said Miss Charles.

Nathan Slade was acquitted at Maidstone Crown Court

Mr Bennett left the flat for a telephone call and Mr Winder put the swords back in the corner. But Slade felt threatened and grabbed a knife from the kitchen.

It was then that Mr Winder suffered multiple wounds, two of which were in the back to the shoulder blades.

Mr Winder was taken to hospital and treated for his injuries. He was on a ventilator for two days and was not discharged for two weeks.

Denying the charges, Mr Slade, now of Luton Road, Chatham, said: "I thought he would attack me."

Michael Haynes, defending, asked: "Did you when you stabbed him intend to kill him? Did you intend to cause him really serious harm?"

Mr Slade answered "No" to both questions, adding: "When I came out of the kitchen, my intention was to escape from the flat."

Neither Mr Winder nor Mr Bennett were called as witnesses.