Two men have been cleared of attempting to murder a hairdresser at his Lindley salon.

A judge yesterday (Mon) directed the jury trying Joshua Gibbon and Aaron Holroyd at Leeds Crown Court to acquit both defendants of the attempted murder of Marcus Sewell-Fletcher at his premises in Acre Street.

The prosecution had claimed that while he was lying injured after being assaulted on February 18 this year they tried to burn down the place by starting fires on his escape route.

But the Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC told the jurors having considered the state of the evidence that charge “cannot be sustained at this stage.” He said it was one of the most difficult charges to prove since there had to be an intention to kill.

Gibbon, 25, of Quarmby Road, and Holroyd, 24 of Briarlyn Road, Birchencliffe, both deny causing Mr Fletcher grievous bodily harm with intent and arson being reckless whether lives were endangered.

In evidence Gibbon told the jury he and Holroyd had ended the evening drinking in the Bay Horse public house and he was quite drunk when outside Mr Fletcher asked them back to his salon for a drink.

Initially the atmosphere was good.

“We were just messing around on the hairdressing chairs, just having a laugh,” he said.

At one stage Mr Fletcher showed Aaron downstairs to the toilet and when the hairdresser came back up alone Gibbon claimed he was sexually assaulted by him.

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He told the jury he had nothing against gay people but Mr Fletcher approached him as he was sat in the chair and grabbed his penis through his clothing.

“I stood up and pushed him away,” he claimed.

He asked him “what are you doing” and claimed Mr Fletcher then came towards him again. He said he was panicking and started tussling with him.

Gibbon said he felt quite angry and thought he might have punched Mr Fletcher three or four times in the face or head but had not intended to seriously harm him.

Both of them fell down the stairs to the basement and at the bottom Mr Fletcher was moaning and semi-conscious. Gibbon said he was bruised but got up.

He claimed Holroyd then kicked Mr Fletcher about four times and stamped on him once.

When they realised he was badly hurt they tried to lift him up but could not do so and so both left. He told his counsel Christopher Tehrani QC he knew nothing about any fires.

Under cross-examination by Andrew Thomas QC defending Holroyd, Gibbon denied responsibility for setting fire to hairdressing gowns in two areas.

Mr Thomas suggested it was he not Holroyd who “gave Mr Fletcher a kicking.”

“No that’s not true,” said Gibbon.

The trial continues.