17 December 2010Last updated at 13:05 GMT

Matthew Starmore cleared of all charges


A Cardiff Crown Court jury has cleared a campaigning father of all charges relating to possessing gunpowder and bullets.
Matthew Starmore, 31, of Newport, said he knew the materials were in the house but denied they were his.

Mr Starmore, ex-branch secretary of New Fathers 4 Justice, said he was shown the items by another man, David Hodge, who lived in the shared property.

Hodge had already pleaded guilty to possessing the material.

The court previously heard that police searched the house in Newport in October last year and discovered bottles of gunpowder, 24 rounds of ammunition and 108 bullet heads.

The jury was told that when police arrived, Mr Starmore asked if they had come about the bullets.

He said he had been shown the items by Hodge and had advised him to go to the police.

The police had not been contacted by Hodge and officers discovered the gunpowder and bullets when searching the house for another reason.

Mr Starmore was cleared of all charges: Possessing an explosive substance with intent to endanger life or property, two counts of possessing prohibited ammunition and one count of handling stolen goods.


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