Court case from the Past

Does anybody remember a court case from the past which made a big impact on me at the time (so much so, that I can't remember the details!!!).

I think a man had killed another man's son by drink driving, or dangerous driving. This wasn't the case in question, though.

The man whose son had been killed seriously assaulted the man who had killed the boy. The jury in this case found the assaulter not guilty even though the judge had directed otherwise. The jury was disgusted at the assaulted man due to him showing no remorse at killing the boy and for laughing at the man who had assaulted him.

It made big news at the time - everybody was delighted the assaultor had been found not guilty, and felt it was a case of justice, rather than the law, that had won out.

My memory of the facts may be hazy, but does anybody remember it? I've just finished reading 'The Secret Barrister' and hoped the author would have mentioned the case, but he didn't.