A man accused of murder has walked free at Lewes Crown Court after the judge directed the jury to acquit him.

Lee Smith, 32, of Springfield Road, Brighton, had denied killing Daniel Collard, who died after being stabbed in the heart in a street fight.

Mr Smith was charged with committing the murder with his friend Derry Davis, 20, of Hillside, Moulsecoomb, Brighton, who has also denied the charge.

On the sixth day of the trial, the judge, Mr Justice Wright, ruled there was insufficient evidence against Mr Smith and formally directed the jury to find him not guilty.

Mr Collard, 20, a bank worker, of Lower Bevendean Avenue, Brighton, was killed in a violent skirmish in Southdown Avenue, Brighton, on the night of March 22.

He was part of a group vandalising cars as they walked along Springfield Road. Two of the cars belonged to Davis and Mr Smith.

Mr Smith was returning to his bedsit when he saw them causing damage. The group wrongly believed he had picked up a mobile phone one of them had dropped and they hit a glass panel in his front door so hard, it smashed.

They ran off and Mr Smith and Davis, who was visiting him, went off to confront the group.

Mr Smith said he had not been aware Davis had picked up a kitchen knife from his bedsit.

Davis told the jury he took the knife for protection.

Davis also denies attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to Thomas Wright.

The trial continues.