A crowbar-wielding hostage taker who repeatedly attacked his ex-girlfriend during a lengthy siege in her flat has been found not guilty of attempting to murder two policemen who came to her rescue.

Homeless Wayne Todd had already admitted a string of crimes after he had a “breakdown” last year, attacking his former partner and barricading her in a bathroom in High Wycombe.

However, following a week-long trial a jury found him not guilty of trying to kill two policemen on the night after he was accused of lashing out at the chest and neck of both men with a chisel and crowbar.

In relation to one officer, the jury of nine women and three men did find Todd guilty of attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm (GBH).

The jury were unable to reach a verdict on whether the 46-year-old had attempted to inflict GBH on the second officer after they dismissed the charges of attempted murder.

The Crown Prosecution Service now has 14 days to consider a response and could possibly call for a re-trial on the second count of GBH.

Todd will be hauled in front of the judge at Reading Crown Court again on June 2 – almost 11 months after he held his ex hostage in Olympic Way – to determine what will happen on the remaining charge.

Bucks Free Press:

The case was heard at Reading Crown Court.

He is yet to be sentenced for a series of other crimes which he earlier pleaded guilty to.

Those offences include one count of affray in which he used or threatened unlawful violence towards the two policemen, false imprisonment, destroying property, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts of attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm.

The nightmare ordeal began on July 4, 2015, when Todd locked himself and his former partner in a bathroom, holding her captive during a two-and-half-hour-long siege which only ended when police Tasered him seven times.

Over the course of the trial, Reading Crown Court heard how he was accused of attempting to murder PC James Francis and PC David Croft, two members of the two who raided the flat after receiving worried 999 calls.

Todd, who days before was given a restraining order against his ex-partner, also violently attacked himself during the siege, tying a noose around his neck and breaking his leg.

After barricading himself and his ex in the bathroom, Todd smashed a hole in the wall and used a chisel to lash out to prevent police from re-entering the bathroom after they rescued the woman.

When officers broke through the bathroom door they were attacked by a weapon believed to be a crowbar.

During the trial, Todd told Reading Crown Court: “I am remorseful and can’t believe most of what I’ve heard. I must have had a breakdown. It’s not in my nature, I’m a good person.”