A 14-year-old boy has been found not guilty of the manslaughter of Connor Saunders.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found not guilty at Hove Crown Court today.
 

Connor, 19, died after he was punched in West Street, Rottingdean, on April 14 this year, after a confrontation with a group of younger teenagers.
 

He hit his head on the floor and died the following morning at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.
 

The 14-year-old admitted punching Connor but said he acted in self-defence.
 

After the verdict was returned, there was sobbing from the area where the Saunders family was sitting in the public gallery.
 

The defendant sat with his head bowed as he heard he was being discharged.