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 at York Crown Court this week.

The court heard part of the prosecution case was about a compilation of video footage given to the police by a hunt saboteur.

Lawyers discussed efforts by the police to obtain the six videos from which the compilation had been made and the devices on which the videos were taken.

They also discussed 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.

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.