A MAN has been cleared of stabbing his karate expert former close friend in the chest with a knife.

Lee Harmer, 46, was acquitted by a jury of wounding Gareth Rees with intent in Caldicot following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

The defendant was also found not guilty of the alternative charge of wounding.

Mr Harmer, of Gerddi Tir Llyn, Caldicot, had denied intentionally stabbing Mr Rees after the pair had argued on March 15.

He told the jury he had acted in self-defence when the complainant had attacked him and started punching him repeatedly.

Mr Harmer said: “I’m not a fighter. I’m not an aggressive person.”

He was represented by Nigel Fryer.

It took the jury less than two hours to find Mr Harmer not guilty.