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A man who mistakenly thought he had bought a bullet-proof vest was shot dead by a friend after convincing him to blast him with a shotgun in a bid to test it out.

Philip Harper, 46, suffered 'catastrophic' injuries after he was shot by pal Ian Catley last June as the two stood in a farmer's field in Cambridgeshire.

Tragic Mr Harper had visited an army surplus store the previous day and bought a load of new kit - including a "protective" vest, that the victim fatally believed meant bullet-proof.

The court heard that the vest - far from being bulletproof - had a plastic casing that actually funnelled the shotgun spray into the centre of his chest, slicing an artery.

Catley, 40, pleaded guilty to manslaughter at Southwark Crown Court last November, and at sentencing today Judge Jeffrey Pegden spoke of the tragic nature of the case as he jailed him for seven years.

He said: "You shot Mr Harper at a distance of less than 20 feet, causing him catastrophic injuries and immediate death.

(Image: PA)

"You then, straight away, took him to hospital but tragically, nothing could be done to save his life."

Catley stared straight ahead in the dock as the sentence came down, while his mother appeared to fight back tears from the public gallery.

The court heard the two friends had been close and Catley had nightmares about what he had done. "Your remorse is complete and genuine," the judge said.

"You recognise the magnitude of your actions and I have no doubt that the effects of killing your good friend will last with you for the rest of your life."

But he said Catley, as a gun licence-holder, had "manifestly breached those obligations and duties”.

Defence barrister Mark McDonald argued that the killing was the result of a stupid and reckless act to which the "keen" Mr Harper had nevertheless consented.

The court heard that after leaving Rugby Trading International Ltd with his new vest, Mr Harper had asked a friend - James Hill - to help him test it out, but that Mr Hill had flatly refused.

"(Mr Harper) was very proud of it. He'd gone to the pub that evening wearing that vest and indeed a SWAT cap," Mr McDonald said.

"After a drink or so, he asked more people, and Mr Catley agreed to do a stupid and undoubtedly reckless act."

(Image: PA)

Prosecutor Mr Mulgrew said that the vest - far from being bulletproof - had a plastic casing that actually funnelled the shotgun spray into the centre of Mr Harper's chest, slicing an artery.

He said Catley attempted to save his friend.

Mr Mulgrew said: "He was panicking, upset and swearing. But it was clear to the paramedics at first sight that there was very little that could be done to save Mr Harper's life."

He said Catley had first claimed he had been aiming for a pigeon and hit his friend by accident, but quickly came clean.

Catley will serve up to half his seven-year term, and the judge ordered that his gun be forfeited and destroyed.