Two of three people accused of the murder of an off-duty ambulance worker in an alleged hit and run incident outside a pub have been found not guilty.

Sheldon Flanighan died as a result of injuries sustained when he was struck by a van alongside another man in the car park of the Bay Horse, at Cramlington, at about 10pm on Saturday April 1.

The death of the 55-year-old father-of-two sons was confirmed at the scene and the other casualty was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

A murder investigation was launched and three people were subsequently arrested.

Read more: Man killed outside Cramlington pub named as three charged with murder

Toby Kelly, 37, of Wansbeck Avenue, Blyth, David Fairclough, 32, of Emerson Road, Newbiggin-by-sea and 28-year-old Shannon Wooden, of Patterdale House, also Blyth, were charged with Mr Flanighan’s murder and the attempted murder of the second man.

While Kelly denied both offences at a plea hearing at Newcastle Crown Court earlier this month, neither count was put to his two co-accused, who it was said were to seek dismissal of the charges in their cases.

A hearing was fixed at the court for June 30 to hear the defence applications to dismiss the charges, with a trial of up to three weeks fixed to start on October 3.

But the case came back before the court for a “mention” hearing today (Wednesday May 24).

Read more: Tributes paid to ambulance worker killed outside Cramlington pub

Both Mr Fairclough and Ms Wooden, appearing via video link from remand prisons, pleaded not guilty to both offences after which Judge Penny Moreland said that the Crown has offered, “no evidence” in their cases.

She said she had been invited her to enter not guilty verdicts and, duly, entered those verdicts in their cases.

David Lamb, for the Crown, said that with only Kelly now facing trial it would shorten the previous three-week time estimate for the trial.

Read next:

* Trio accused of murder of Sheldon Flanighan outside Cramlington pub

* Man denies murder of Sheldon Flanighan outside Cramlington pub

* Three arrested in murder inquiry after man dies outside North East pub

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Judge Moreland said there would, now, be no necessity for the dismissal hearing, but, instead, said there would be a further case management hearing on June 30.

She granted a further 14 days for the prosecution to submit an accident investigation report into the fatal incident.

The trial of Kelly remains listed for October 3.