A MONEY lender accused of kidnapping a man at knifepoint, then threatening to stab him and chop him up, walked free from court yesterday.

Kevin McCully, 31, was accused of demanding money from Christopher Murray, 23, after dragging him out of a shop and bundling him into a car.

It took a jury at Newcastle Crown Court three hours to clear him of the charges.

Mr Murray told the court: "He said he wanted £2,000 and, if I didn't give him it, he would kill me. He had a claw hammer in his hand and a bat when he was making threats."

But the jury dismissed the former drug addict's claims and Mr McCully walked free.

Mr McCully and Philip Mason were accused of taking Mr Murray to Mr Mason's flat in Bamburgh Close, Oxclose, Washington, against his will. When they were arrested, they said Mr Murray went to the flat voluntarily.

Mr McCully, of Lambton Centre, Lambton, Washington, was cleared of kidnap, making threats to kill and false imprisonment. Mr Mason, 29, was cleared of false imprisonment