Deaf man's murder charge dropped

Mr Davies' body was found in woodland

A deaf man has been cleared of murdering a man whose body was found dumped in woodland, it has emerged.

Malcolm Martin, 33, was accused of killing Courtney Davies and hiding his body in Staunton, Gloucestershire.

Mr Martin, of Fairwater, Cardiff, denied murder and had been due to stand trial at Bristol Crown Court next week.

But a spokeswoman for Gloucestershire CPS said the charge was dropped at an administrative hearing at the court earlier this year.

She said: "The charge was dropped on 21 April. No evidence was offered and a not guilty verdict was entered."

The body of Mr Davies, 53, from Rumney, Cardiff, was found in undergrowth in the Forest of Dean woodland on 20 December 2004.