Three teenagers charged with one count of assault causing actual bodily harm have been cleared by a jury at Southend Crown Court.
The court heard how the three youngsters, who cannot be named for legal reasons and who have all denied the accusation, were arrested following an incident in Rayleigh High Street where a man was knocked unconscious.
Michael Cambridge was allegedly struck from behind when he went to help another man being attacked in the early hours of September 21 last year.
However, barristers defending the youths, who are aged 17, 18 and 19, pointed out the eyewitness who claimed he saw the fight, who also cannot be named, was looking out of the window of a lit building into a dark street where there was a group of teenagers.
The jury spent about two hours deliberating the case before returning with the not guilty verdict.
The three youths were not accused of being involved in either of two other incidents.
The delighted 19-year-old, who is from Rochford, said afterwards: "Justice has been seen to have been done."
The other two teenagers are both from Rayleigh.
Published Monday, June 9, 2003
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