Overview
- The Ipswich Crown Court jury on January 29, 2026 unanimously cleared Dale Carter of two counts of inflicting grievous bodily harm.
- The charges stemmed from an April 24, 2021 explosion at the King’s Head pub car park in Great Cornard when a tabletop ethanol heater ignited.
- Prosecutors argued Carter recklessly squirted fuel onto the heater, while the defense said the incident was a horrible accident.
- Carter testified he was trying to top up or relight the heater and denied showing off, with a firefighter noting he seemed inebriated but coherent.
- Cousins April and Ashleigh Charlesworth suffered severe burns, with hospitalisation and lasting effects described in court, but the criminal case concluded with the acquittal.