THE master of a North Yorkshire hunt has been cleared of causing the death by careless driving of a motorcyclist.

Sean McClarron was driving his Range Rover on the A171 Whitby to Scarborough road when motorcyclist Stuart Green, of Staxton, North Yorkshire, attempted to overtake him as he turned right.

The court heard Mr Green, 26, had been travelling at the head of a convoy of motorbikes, followed by his friend James Pickard and brother Adam Green, travelling at a minimum of 71mph on the 60mph stretch of road at the time of the crash, and died at the scene from head injuries.

Judge Paul Batty QC instructed the jury to return a verdict of not guilty for the Derwent Hunt master, of Snainton, North Yorkshire, who denied causing death by careless driving, as he felt the available evidence would force the jury into speculation.

He said: "The thrust of the prosecution case is that Mr McClarron did not use his mirror or mirrors and or he indicated late when negotiating that right turn.

"Given the evidence we heard of the speed or possible speed of the late motorcyclist who sadly lost his life, Mr McClarron may well have used his mirror or mirrors but at a time Mr Green was not within sight."