Rasen area rower unanimously acquitted of assault

A university rower has been found not guilty by a jury this afternoon (Wednesday) of attacking two rival competitors who complained that the group he was with had trashed a KFC after the annual '˜Head of the River' Thames race.
Freddie Strawson 
Image: UK Law News EMN-181219-125042001Freddie Strawson 
Image: UK Law News EMN-181219-125042001
Freddie Strawson Image: UK Law News EMN-181219-125042001

The Thoresway man’s defence, that he had acted in self defence, was accepted by the jury at Kingston Crown Court.

Six foot six Freddie Strawson, 21, had consumed ten pints and partied at the Thames Rowing Club, Putney until midnight after competing in an eight-man crew during the March 12 event.

He admitted punching another rower in the face, in Lower Richmond Road, and grappling with another, whose head was cut open, but insisted that he had been acting in self defence.

Strawson, of The Old Rectory was unanimously acquitted by the Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court jury of assaulting Stephen Johnson and inflicting grievous bodily harm on Henry Hogan.