ONE of the men accused of robbing Darlington FC chairman George Reynolds has walked free from court after a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence against him.

Leoul Belete was said to have snatched a £41,000 Rolex watch from the multi-millionaire as he left a Hampstead restaurant last May.

However, eight days into a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Mr Recorder Stephen Dawson ruled the evidence was only circumstantial.

The judge formally directed the jury to find 22-year-old Mr Belete not guilty of robbing Mr Reynolds, 64, and attempting to steal from the tycoon's wife, Susan, 40.

Mr Belete, of Sheriff Road, West Hampstead, had denied the two charges he faced.

His co-defendant, Tayo Aladesuyi, 23, remains in the dock accused of the same charges.

Giving evidence yesterday, Mr Aladesuyi told the jury he only acted as a "fence" by handling the stolen Rolex and was given the car used in the robbery after the incident.

Mr Aladesuyi told the court he was at his ex-girlfriend's flat, in Cricklewood, at the time of the mugging.

Shortly afterwards, he received a phone call from a friend called Tariq, whom he had known casually for about four years.

"He asked if I could get rid of a watch for him. I told him to bring it over," Mr Aladesuyi told the court.

He claimed his friend arrived with two younger men and they conducted the deal in the kitchen.

Mr Aladesuyi noticed the clasp on the watch strap was broken. "I assumed it was from a robbery. If it was from a burglary, it would have been in one piece," he said.

"I asked him how much he wanted for it. I assumed I could probably sell it for £5,000."

He said the men agreed a deal to give Mr Aladesuyi a stolen car, which had been used in the robbery.

Later that night, the police saw Mr Aladesuyi in the stolen car and he was arrested.

Police found the stolen Rolex hidden in an encyclopaedia at his home the following morning.

Mr Aladesuyi, of Linstead Street, West Hampstead, denies robbing Mr Reynolds and attempting to steal from Mrs Reynolds on May 10 this year.

The trial continues