One of seven men on trial over a mob attack was cleared on the direction of the judge yesterday.

And two of the others accused had some, but not all, of the charges dismissed against them.

Damon Darrell, 28, from St. George's, was alleged by prosecutors to have been part of a mob of up to 50 men that attacked Temasgan Furbert's family home then beat him with various weapons.

The 23-year-old victim was left badly injured and described during his evidence at Supreme Court how he saw a large group of men smashing the windows of his family home in Midland Heights, Hamilton Parish. They then chased him to North Church Lane where they beat him with weapons including a power drill, helmets, a baseball bat and a cane, the court heard.

He described Mr. Darrell in his Police statements as "the ringleader" of the attack but never mentioned his name when giving evidence for the prosecution during the trial earlier this month.

Challenged about this by defence lawyer Charles Richardson, who represents another accused man, Mr. Furbert said Mr. Darrell was at the scene when he was being assaulted but did not attack him, so he did not mention him.

Yesterday, Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves instructed the 12-woman jury to return a not-guilty verdict on both charges Mr. Darrell faced, of unlawful damage to the house and wounding Mr. Furbert with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

"That is because it has been determined that there is not sufficient evidence against him to support the charges against him," he explained, saying the prosecution had conceded as such.

The judge told Mr. Darrell, who was represented by lawyer Marc Daniels: "You have been found not guilty. You are free to go."

Meanwhile he also ordered the jury to clear another of the accused men, Kaiwan Tott, 25, of possessing a machete in a public place. Prosecutors alleged at the start of the case that he was armed with that weapon during the attack. But in evidence, Mr. Furbert said Trott kicked and punched him and hit him with a some kind of implement, but he did not know what.

While Trott continues to face charges of criminal damage to the house and wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, the judge ordered the jury to clear him of the machete charge.

He told them: "Again, the prosecution has conceded that there's not sufficient evidence against him."

Finally, he ordered the jury to clear a third defendant, Detroy Smith, 24, of causing unlawful damage to the victim's family home. However, Smith continues to face a charge of wounding Mr. Furbert with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

The other men accused are Kiwaun Gilbert, Kyle Tannock Williams, Bennett Phipps and Allan Douglas, who are all in their 20s and also from St. George's.

They deny wounding Mr. Furbert with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm and smashing the windows of his home. Douglas further denies possessing a machete and Tannock Williams denies being armed with a baseball bat.

The case continues.