Gosport man accused of murdering brother in pillowcase row found not guilty

Mark Oliver, 56, was cleared by jurors at Winchester Crown Court today after nine hours and 16 minutes of deliberation.

Prosecutors alleged he stabbed his brother Andrew, 53, twice in the body and inflicted three knife wounds to his body in a struggle on February 1 in Harwood Road, Bridgemary, Gosport.

But today jurors who have heard the 10-day trial cleared him of murder.

The office worker denied murdering the dad-of-two and instead told jurors he had been the victim of a vicious attack after a ‘childish’ argument over an ‘Egyptian cotton’ pillowcase.

He lived with his brother, a dad-of-two, at the home they shared with their 86-year-old mother Jean.

Tears erupted from the public gallery from Mr Oliver’s family members as the verdict was delivered.

Giving evidence this week, Mr Oliver said he was assaulted by Andrew, and admitted to then picking up one of two knives he had earlier told the court he ‘had been sharpening’ while watching the Wales vs Italy Six Nations rugby match and ‘held it towards’ his brother’s face.

‘I wanted to scare Andrew off,’ he said. ‘I wanted to snap him out of it and bring him back.’

The 56-year-old told the court how he kept his head down to avoid more punches but raised the hand with the knife in and ‘pushed’ his brother away.

He was discharged from the dock following the verdict.

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