Three men accused of leaving another man with a broken cheekbone, nose, and two eye sockets, have been found not guilty of the attack.

John Jerwood was allegedly beaten, kicked, and hit with a pool cue at a Rochester pub called the Who'd Ha Thought on New Year's Day last year.

The attack left him needing hospital treatment and police later charged Lindsay Currie, 66, of Kingsmead Caravan Park, Allhallows; his son Shaun Currie, 34, and his brother-in-law Paul Murtagh, 41, both of Silverweed Road, Chatham, with causing causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

All three had denied the charges and had also pleaded not guilty to the alternative, less serious offence of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

A jury at Maidstone Crown Court today found all three men not guilty of all the charges.

Prosecutor Janet Weekes had earlier told the court there had been an argument between Shaun Currie and Mr Jerwood - who had both attended a 50th birthday party at the Lordswood Leisure Centre in Chatham, the previous evening.

She said Mr Jerwood was alleged to have scared Sean's seven-year-old son by saying: "Grrr" because he felt the child was being annoying.

That led to words between the two men and Mr Jerwood left early to avoid upsetting other partygoers.

Ms Weekes said Mr Jerwood was taken to the Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham and then onto the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead for treatment for a fractured cheekbone and two eye sockets.

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