A MAN who was framed for a house attack which left two men injured walked free from court yesterday.

Telephone engineer Martin Matthews, 25, said that immediately he heard that his fiancee's former boyfriend had been beaten up, he feared he would be blamed.

Bride-to-be Leanne Appleyard's former boyfriend, Paul Jones, was battered with a police baton and sprayed with CS gas after a group of men invaded his home.

His housemate, Mark Milburn, was also beaten, said Shaun Dodds, prosecuting.

They later picked out Mr Matthews in identification parades. He and Miss Appleyard were arrested, but she was later released.

Mr Martin told Teesside Crown Court that he went that night to the men's house in Wycombe Street, Darlington, after Mr Jones asked Miss Appleby to return his audio and video tapes.

But he said that he just knocked on the door and he left them in a binliner on the doorstep to avoid any confrontation.

He told the jury that he heard that Mr Jones owed money, which could be the reason for the beating.

After a three-day trial, the jury found Mr Matthews, of Wilson Street, Darlington, not guilty of aggravated burglary and affray on November 1.

Judge Leslie Spittle awarded Mr Matthews his defence costs.