Two men have been cleared of taking part in violence during a stag night trip to a Brighton nightclub.

A judge ordered a jury at Hove Crown Court to find doorman Wayne Howell and electrician Robert Cohen not guilty of violent disorder outside the Honeyclub on the Lower Esplanade.

He ruled the evidence against the two men was so tenuous that he had a duty to intervene and direct they should be acquitted.

Along with Crawley doormen Ian Jackson and Simon Grimmer, the duo had denied attacking police and doormen from the club.

Walton Hornsby, prosecuting, alleged all four had taken part in either physical or verbal aggression outside the club in the early hours of March 1 last year.

It was claimed Mr Howell, 26, of Roffey Close, Horley, had shouted "Let's get them" at police and "You are all out of order, you are in for a hiding" at dog handler PC Peter Tattum.

He was bitten on the thigh by police dog Bruce, which left permanent scars. He was bruised after being hit by a police baton.

Mr Cohen, 26, of Climping Road, Ifield, Crawley, was alleged to have been part of a group which wrestled an officer to the ground and it was claimed he had been struck with a baton.

Police surveillance footage showed both men had tried to pull others away from the confrontation as the group retreated along the seafront. It showed Mr Cohen was not struck by a police baton and the claim was withdrawn by the prosecution as the trial ended its fifth week yesterday.

Officers had accepted under cross-examination they had made mistakes in their statements when compared to the police video.

After hearing legal arguments for both men in the absence of the jury, Judge David Rennie ruled it would be unsafe to ask the jury to continue hearing evidence against them.

He called the jury back and told them: "I have concluded, after examination of the evidence against them, that it is of such a tenuous nature I must intervene at this stage and direct you to acquit them."

Mr Howell's solicitor, Brian Mackerell, said his client was relieved he had been vindicated.

Mr Cohen said: "I am disappointed with the conduct of some of the police officers in this case.

"Seeing the faces of the jury, it is clear they agreed with the direction of the judge that we should be found not guilty."

Jackson, 37, of Roffey Close, Horley, and Simon Grimmer, 26, of Abinger Drive, Redhill, are expected to begin their defence on Monday.