Old Bailey Jury Acquits Youth On Murder Charge (Press, 25 September 1986)

A London youth, Michael Bowman, aged 18, has been acquitted of murder and manslaughter charges in the stabbing death of New Zealander Michael Smith, aged 25, at the Old Bailey. The jury did, however, convict Bowman of causing actual bodily harm. The incident took place on 6 July 1986, when Smith was found with 21 stab wounds in Clapham Common, known as a popular area for homosexuals. Prosecutor Allan Green presented the case as part of a "queerbashing" expedition, asserting that Bowman and his friends, who had been drinking that evening, sought out Smith believing he was gay. Contrarily, it was stated in court that Smith was not a homosexual. Bowman admitted to being present during the violent attack but claimed a "fifth man" was responsible for Smith's death. He insisted he was not in possession of a knife and expressed disbelief that his friends had implicated him in the murder. During the trial, Green claimed that Bowman had celebrated the act with his friends, making boastful comments about killing someone he presumed to be gay, demonstrating a troubling lack of remorse. The atmosphere was tense as the jury delivered their verdict; friends and relatives of Bowman expressed relief when he was acquitted of the more serious charges, while others, including the prosecutor, depicted the events leading to Smith's death as a premeditated act of violence against a perceived homosexual. Bowman's actions on the night of the incident, combined with his prior comments, painted a disturbing picture of the events that led to Smith's murder.

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