A TEENAGER accused of wielding a knife during an attempted robbery has been cleared of all charges.

Umar Faroq, of Fergusson Road, Banbury, had always denied the single count of attempted robbery and another count of having a bladed article.

The jury of eight women and four men returned not guilty verdicts at Oxford Crown Court yesterday as the two-day trial came to an end.

The court had heard during the trial how the single complainant, a 36-year old man, had alleged that he had left his Banbury home to get some air before being cornered by three men in an alleyway at Waterloo Drive in the town.

Prosecutor Alexandra Bull told jurors that the 19-year old had been identified by the alleged victim following his escape and the failed robbery attempt at about 1pm on May.

She said that during the incident Mr Faroq had drawn a 6-inch kitchen knife from inside his pockets and that another unidentified male told the man: 'your are not going anywhere, empty your pockets.'

He fled the scene and was later treated in hospital having suffered injuries including a 4cm laceration to his left eyebrow and a number of grazes and bruises.

Mr Faroq was arrested the following day following his identification by the alleged victim.

Jurors unanimously cleared him of any wrong doing yesterday.