A man cleared of manslaughter said yesterday he felt for the victim?s family.

Keniel Alfred Ingham, 33, of Warwick, was found not guilty in Supreme Court of unlawfully killing Jermaine (Red) Pitcher outside Champions Club on Reid Street over four years ago.

After more than two hours of deliberation the jurors came back with the majority verdict. Mr. Ingham stood in the dock, turned to them and said: ?Thank you members of the jury ? thank you very much.?

As Mr. Ingham (pictured) was leaving the dock, he put his head in his hands and walked out of the courtroom to his family and friends.

Outside the courtroom Mr. Ingham was embraced by his brother, father, and lawyer, Larry Scott.

Mr. Ingham, visibly elated, said: ?It was an unfortunate situation that someone had to lose their life. ?I feel for the Pitcher family.?

He added: ?I am glad that the legal system sorted things out properly.?

Before the jury went out for deliberations, Puisne Judge Ian Kawaley summed up the evidence of the seven-day trial and told jurors that they needed to consider three questions: Was there unlawful conduct on the defendant?s part? Was a person killed? Was there knowledge of a risk or injury to the victim?

Mr. Justice Kawaley said to the jury: ?Have the prosecution satisfied you that the defendant was aware that there was a knife??

Earlier in the trial eyewitnesses testified that Ryan (Tiger) Ball frantically stabbed Mr. Pitcher from behind while the defendant and another man restrained Mr. Pitcher.

Mr. Ingham testified that he held Mr. Pitcher in self defence and did not know Ball was stabbing him from behind with a foot-long knife.

Ball admitted to stabbing Mr. Pitcher and was sentenced to ten years imprisonment in 2001. However, he was released by the parole board in June, 2004 after only serving three years.

Mr. Justice Kawaley pointed out there was no direct evidence Mr. Ingham was aware of the knife that took Mr. Pitcher?s life.

He also said that there were contradictions between eyewitness testimony. Jurors also had to take into account self defence laws.

Mr. Scott told he was happy with the verdict. He added Mr. Ingham could now get on with his life.