'Completely innocent and much loved' family man killed in Emsworth attack

A man from Hambrook, near Chichester, has been sentenced for the manslaughter of a devoted dad in July last year.

Tarin Linfield, of Common Road, Hambrook, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to a charge of manslaughter and conspiracy to steal of 47 year old Stephen Harrington, who was found with a serious head injury along Marlpit Lane in Emsworth last year and was taken to hospital where he passed away two days later.

He was sentenced to seven years in prison for the manslaughter, which was reduced to five years and four months as a result of his guilty plea. He was also sentenced to a concurrent 15 month sentence for conspiracy to steal.

An investigation was launched following the attack and three people were charged with his murder. The three men - Thomas Goldring, Joseph Butler and Tarin Linfield - were remanded in prison to stand trial on January 23 this year.

Butler, 23, of Priors Leaze Lane, Hambrook, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to a charge of conspiracy to steal. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years.

The ‘cowardly’ trio had mistakenly believed there was cannabis to steal from the land before the attack that saw the victim die in hospital two days later.

Lewes Crown Court heard how the ‘greedy’ three defendants went to the ‘remote and isolated’ spot armed with equipment. Linfield, 23, took a fire extinguisher, Butler, 23, was holding a lamp and Goldring, 21, with a piece of wood and a thermal imaging camera. Goldring, who the court heard had since killed himself, delivered the fatal ‘blow or blows’ to Mr Harrington, thought to be with the piece of wood.

Judge, Her Honour Justice Laing KC, said: “Mr Harrington worked long and hard to achieve his ambition of having his own work yard. It was your complete moral cowardice, greed and interest in drugs that led to the killing of that man.’

The judge said the group going armed with equipment was an ‘indicator’ that they expected Mr Harrington could be present and was not a ‘spur of the moment’ crime. “​

Judge Laing said she accepted Butler was not near the van and had ‘no involvement’ in the killing. “The fatal blow or blows were dealt to Stephen Harrington by the late Mr Goldring,” she said. But she stated Linfield was aware there could be ‘some harm’ potentially to Mr Harrington if he was disturbed. “It was you who discharged the fire extinguisher at him in all likelihood after Mr Goldring had struck him,” she said.