A teenager accused of murdering his father with a carving knife was a free man today after a jury cleared him of all charges.

Family and friends of Thomas Luscombe, 19, gasped with relief as the not guilty murder and manslaughter verdicts were read out at Basildon Crown Court.

Mr Luscombe, of St Chad's Road, Tilbury, stepped down from the dock to celebrate with his emotional supporters in the packed public gallery.

Speaking minutes after the verdict, he told the Evening Echo: "I just want to put all this behind me and get on with the rest of my life.

"I'm not happy about the way I have been portrayed in this trial and I don't want to say any more about it."

Luscombe fatally wounded his 45-year-old father, also named Thomas, in a moment of "panic'' during a fracas at the Oak pub in Lodge Lane, Grays.

The teenager had been drinking in the pub before being beaten up by a customer and thrown out by a bouncer, the jury heard. He lost a tooth and suffered cuts and bruises in the attack.

He returned to the Oak soon after with a ten-inch long knife to look for his brother who was going to "sort things out". Unknown to him his father, a caretaker at St Chad's School, had followed him to the pub to prevent any violence.

Inside the pub he felt someone grab him from behind and swivelled around quickly. It was at that moment that he stabbed his father.

During his trial Mr Luscombe said: "I did not recall having a knife in my hand. I thought I was going to be beaten up again. I did not intend to cause serious harm to anybody. I was just shrugging off the person who was holding me."

Shortly afterwards he saw his father holding his chest. He said: "Words cannot explain how I felt. I was very distressed."

Mr Luscombe senior died in Basildon Hospital.

Published Wednesday April 7, 2004

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