Man charged with manslaughter over fatal Derbyshire shooting of young farmer

A 23-year-old farmer whose ingenuity won national notice and whose death shocked young farmers across the county is now at the centre of a manslaughter case that returns to court in June.

Charles Kinston’s body was found in a field off Brizlincote Lane, Bretby, near Swadlincote, after police were called on the evening of 29 January 2024 to reports that a man had been shot. Derbyshire Constabulary said he was pronounced dead at the scene. An inquest later recorded the initial cause of death as a gunshot wound to the chest.

The case has now moved into the next stage of the criminal process. Derbyshire Constabulary said Joseph Simpkins, 37, of Brizlincote Lane, Bretby, has been charged with manslaughter, possessing ammunition for a firearm without a certificate and possessing prohibited ammunition. He is due to appear at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court on 15 June 2026.

Kinston’s death reverberated well beyond Bretby because of the life he had built in farming circles. He had been a member of Netherseal Young Farmers Club for more than 12 years, and the Leicestershire Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs described him as a kind and generous character. The Leicestershire and Rutland Young Farmers Club said he brought enthusiasm and passion to everything he did. Reporting also said he left behind a young son.

His reputation rested not only on community ties but on practical skill. In 2020, Kinston won third place in the simple category of the Farmers Weekly Inventions Competition for converting a Land Rover Discovery 1 300Tdi into an off-road milk float for calf-feeding rounds. One report said he was feeding up to 400 outdoor-hutched calves and moving about 5,000 litres of milk a day at peak times.

The shooting also sharpened concern about how violent crime is handled in rural areas, where incidents can unfold after dark, on private land and far from immediate backup. Detective Chief Inspector Matt Croome said the two people involved were known to one another and officers had mitigated any risk to the wider public, underlining how quickly police have had to balance an active murder inquiry with public reassurance in a small community.

For Derbyshire and the surrounding farming belt, the case has become more than one prosecution. It has become a reminder of how exposed rural workers can be when disputes turn violent, and how long the legal process can run after a single shot ends a young life.