ONE of the men accused of murdering a child killer has been acquitted by the jury after a judge told them that there was a lack of evidence.

Darran Evesham, 47, had been accused along with Ieuan Harley, 23 and David Osborne, 51, of murdering David Gaut, who served a 32-year sentence for murdering a toddler in the 1980s.

All three men denied the charges, and Mr Evesham has now been cleared.

The case continues against Osborne and Harley.

David Gaut, 54, was allegedly lured to his death and stabbed 150 times in August at a block of flats in New Tredegar, Caerphilly.

On Wednesday David Osborne, 51, said he was in his kitchen when he heard Mr Gaut screaming for help when fellow defendant Ieuan Harley, 23, attacked him with a knife.

Osborne said: "I could hear some arguing and shouting.

"Then I heard Harley turn around and call David a paedophile.

"Then I heard a sharp intake of breath.

ALSO IN THE NEWS:

"It sounded like a knife going into flesh and someone being stabbed.

"I could hear David shouting out 'help' and heard him screaming. I felt scared.

"I didn't want to go into the lounge because it sounded horrible."

Osborne said he eventually entered his lounge to find Harley holding a bloodied knife in his hand and while standing over Mr Gaut's body.

He described how Harley, whose clothes were covered in blood, then allegedly knelt down on his knees and began "prodding" Mr Gaut's body, gesturing a stabbing motion with his hand to judge Mr Justice Clive Lewis.

Osborne said he asked Harley "What the hell have you done in my flat?" to which Harley replied: "Don't worry, we'll clean it all up."

He said he chose not to call the police and instead go on a "drinking spree", saying: "It was done. The police were going to come anyway."

Osborne said he and Harley moved Mr Gaut's body to his passageway and used bleach to clean up blood, and about 30 minutes later they were joined by Evesham, 47, who arrived "drunk" and carried on drinking at the flat.

Osborne said later all three wore socks on their hands as they "carried and dragged" Mr Gaut's body next door back to his own flat.

Newport Crown Court had earlier been told Harley called Mr Gaut a "nonce" after finding out he had served more than 32 years in prison for murdering toddler Chi Ming Shek in 1985.

Harley allegedly told Osborne: "He doesn't deserve to be here."

Mr Gaut had moved next door to Osborne six weeks before he was allegedly "lured" to Osborne's flat where he was murdered after they found out about his conviction.

Mr Gaut was stabbed more than 150 times while still alive, and a further 26 times after he died, and his fingernails were also cut off post-mortem.

Osborne, from Long Row, Elliots Town, New Tredegar; Harley, of no fixed address deny the murder of Mr Gaut between August 1 and 4 last year.

Harley and Evesham, from Powell's Terrace, New Tredegar, all also deny perverting the course of justice, which Osborne admits.

Proceeding.