A man has been acquitted of murdering his brother-in-law with a crossbow bolt through the heart in St Keverne last October.

Daniel Schofield, 29, was found not guilty on all counts of the murder of Roy Hanson, a 50 year old plumber from Gweek.

During the five day trial, jurors had heard how Mr Hanson had been involved in an altercation with Mr Schofield's sister, Julia Hanson, at Mr Schofield's home at Trevallack Farm.

Mr Schofield had taken the weapon, which was described as having a "hairline trigger", after seeing Mr Hanson with his arm around his sister's neck, and it had gone off as Mr Hanson walked towards him.

The bolt passed through Mr Hanson's chest and out his back, piercing his heart and slicing through a vein, and he collapsed as the defendant ran off, believing it had missed.

Mr Schofield denied both manslaughter and murder, and was found not guilty at Truro Crown Court this afternoon.