Man cleared of robbery

A Derbyshire man has been cleared of purse snatching and had his four-year jail term quashed.

Damien Paul Joseph Page, 26, from Chesterfield, was convicted at Nottingham Crown Court of robbery.

But on Wednesday, Lord Justice Clarke, sitting with Mr Justice Astill and Judge Peter Beaumont in London's Court of Appeal, declared the jury's finding "unsafe" and quashed Mr Page's conviction.

The Appeal Court had earlier been told by Mark Barlow, for Mr Page, that the original trial judge had misdirected the jury.

Mr Barlow argued the judge failed to give an adequate direction on Mr Page's alibi - he claimed to have been with his partner and sister at the time of the offence - and he was unfairly prejudiced.

Lord Justice Clarke said: "We cannot be sure that the jury would have reached the same conclusion had the judge given the correct direction."

He added he felt "every sympathy" for the trial judge who had not been told by either the prosecution or defence that such a direction was required.

There will be no retrial.