A man walked free from Supreme Court yesterday after a judge ruled he had no case to answer.

Locomotion Graphics employee Maurice Stovell, 37, was charged along with Michael Madeiros, 41, and Steven Flood, 39, with conspiracy to import 120 pounds of cannabis in October, 2003.

The no case submission by the defence went unchallenged by Crown counsel Paula Tyndale. With palpable relief etched across his face, Mr. Stovell told afterwards he was "ecstatic" to have been cleared, while singling out lawyers Mark Pettingill and Richard Horseman for special thanks ? although he was reluctant to speak at length until the trial concludes.

The Crown had alleged that Mr. Stovell was paid a fee of $5,000 for his role in the concealment of the drugs in a Dunkley's Dairy container shipped from the United States on October 23, but has been unable to credibly substantiate the claim.

Former dairy employees Madeiros and Flood will remain in the dock, however, with the Crown and defence due to begin their final submissions today before the nine woman, three man jury and Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves.

Shadow Health Minister Michael Dunkley alleged on Wednesday that both Madeiros and Flood, his friends for close to 15 years, had confessed their guilt to him a few days after being released from Police custody.

Mr. Pettingill suggested, however, that the Dunkley's Dairy chief "prejudged" their guilt and had become excessively involved in the subsequent Police investigation because he was anxious to avoid his company and family name being associated with such illicit activities. Allegations of Police brutality against the three defendants have also emerged over the course of the four-day-old trial.