A teenager accused of being involved in a robbery in Ipswich town centre has been cleared after a judge directed a jury to find him not guilty.

Judge David Goodin told the jury at Ipswich Crown Court he had decided to stop the trial at the close of the prosecution case because of identification issues.

He said although the 16-year-old defendant had been near the Buttermarket at the time of the robbery the victim had not picked him out during an identification procedure.

The defendant, who cannot be named because of his age, denied robbing Graham Read on January 30 this year.

Mr Read, who was wearing a gold chain, was in the Buttermarket when he was approached by two youths and was allegedly told by one of them: “This is my street and I’m going to tax you for walking along it.”

Mr Read saw one of the youths had a small knife sticking out of a pocket and handed over his chain.

Police officers found the defendant with an 18-year-old man, who has admitted the robbery, and two females in a nearby store.