CHARGES have been dropped against a sixth man who was said to have been involved in the punishment beating murder of a suspected thief.

During a brief hearing at Teesside Crown Court yesterday, prosecutors offered no evidence against David Woodier, of Thetford Road, Hartlepool.

Mr Woodier, 48, was arrested days after the end of a lengthy trial of five other men accused of being involved in the death of John Newton, 45.

The father-of-two had been wrongly suspected of stealing the life savings of friend, George Thomas Sr, from his home in Redcar, east Cleveland.

Mr Newton was snatched from his home on March 19, bundled into the back of a van and savagely beaten in a bid to extract a confession.

During a trial lasting six weeks, the jury heard that he suffered 60 separate injuries and died in hospital two days after the attack, from brain damage.

George Thomas Sr, 77, was cleared of murder and kidnap, and the jury failed to reach verdicts on the same charges against Lee Woodier, 25.

Mr Thomas’s son, George Jr, 25, grandson, Stephen, 30, and Andrew Jackson, 25, were convicted of kidnap and murder, and were jailed for life.

Judge Peter Fox ordered that the Middlesbrough trio should serve a minimum of 20 years for what he described as a premeditated killing.

Mr Woodier – the uncle of the fifth defendant, who will face a re-trial in the New Year – was arrested in the aftermath of the trial in September.

He has been held in custody since then, but could be released soon after the dramatic collapse of the case against him emerged yesterday.

At a meeting between lawyers and police on Friday, the decision was taken not to press ahead with the prosecution, a judge was told.

Prosecutor Sue Jacobs told Judge Michael Taylor: “I intend, after the defendant is arraigned, to formally offer no evidence.”

Mr Woodier pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering Mr Newton, and a formal verdict of not guilty was entered by Judge Taylor.

“You are now discharged as far as the court is concerned, but I understand you have been recalled on licence,” the judge said. “That can be reconsidered as soon as possible.”

The recall was put into place because Mr Woodier had been released from a previous prison sentence early, and was alleged to have offended again.