FOUR men accused of violence towards hunt protestors during a Middleton Hunt meeting have been formally cleared.

The CPS offered no evidence against all defendants at the end of two days of legal argument.

York Crown Court heard part of the prosecution case was about a compilation of video footage given to the police by a hunt saboteur.

Lawyers for prosecution and defence discussed efforts by the police to obtain the six videos from which the compilation had been made and the devices on which the six videos were taken, and delays in the CPS telling defence lawyers about potential evidence.

Recorder Bryan Cox QC told the prosecution authorities they needed to review the way pre-trial procedures are carried out.

Roger Marley, 50, of Church Lane, Langtoft, Driffield, was charged with wounding a male protestor, Robert Howard Robertson-Tierney, 50, of Cross Lane, Snainton, was charged with causing actual bodily harm to a second protestor, and Philip Makin, 35, of High Lane, Felixkirk, was charged with causing actual bodily harm to a woman protestor.

Together with Richard Robertson Tierney, 30, of Cross Lane, Snainton, they were charged with affray near Thixendale, south of Malton on March 18, 2017.

All four denied all charges and were acquitted.

Prosecution barrister Laurie Scott said police had been aware from the day of the incident that they needed all the videos shot by the protestors and the devices used for the filming. But they had not obtained them, despite two police log entries that they intended to speak to the protestors about them.

She said hunt protestors had told the police they had handed over all the footage they had obtained and given police reasons why the devices were not available.

One witness had presented the prosecution with a camera card on the afternoon of the first day of legal arguments and police needed to examine it before the trial could begin.

Lisa Judge for Mr Marley accused the protestors of "picking and choosing" what evidence the police could have.

She claimed there may be evidence on footage not given to the police that could help her client's defence.