One of four men accused of a “professional hit” murder more than 16 years ago has succeeded in having the case against him dismissed.

Judge Jeremy Carey ruled in Kane Ward’s favour following submissions of “no case to answer” last month by his barrister.

The 52-year-old, of Boyd Close in Upminster, Essex, had been held in custody since his arrest in March, along with Robert Blackwell, 52, Terence Barry, 44, and 51-year-old David Carvel.

They were all alleged to have conspired to murder convicted drug dealer Leonard Naylor in Istead Rise, near Gravesend, on April 18 2001.

Mr Naylor, 46, was shot on his driveway in Bracondale Avenue just after 5pm. He was hit four times in the head, neck, chest and arm from a van as it drove past.

The van was left burnt out almost two miles away in an underpass beneath the A2 at Pepper Hill in Northfleet.

A police investigation found it was a professional hit.

Mr Naylor had been arrested twice in the past. He was released from jail in September 1999 for drug dealing.

In June 1996 he was arrested for attempted murder but the case was dropped when the victim refused to co-operate.

The four men were arrested following a review of the cold case by the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate.

Blackwell, of Atlas Road in Plaistow, east London, and Carvel, of Plains Farm Close, Colchester, Essex, denied conspiracy to murder between December 31, 2000 and April 19, 2001 when they appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday.

Barry, of no fixed address, will enter his plea at a later date.

A trial, expected to last up to six weeks, is due to start on August 29, but could be delayed until mid-September and transferred to London’s Old Bailey.

Judge Carey has described the case as one of “very considerable complexity” with almost 300 statements having been taken by police.