A MURDER trial ended dramatically yesterday when a Polish man accused of killing cage fighter Sebastian Zuchlinski was formally found not guilty.

After four days of hearing the prosecution case the Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Timothy Clayson ruled that the circumstantial evidence presented was not strong enough for a jury to safely convict him.

Before any defence evidence was heard, on the direction of the judge, the jury at Bolton Crown Court found 24-year-old Madej not guilty.

In March last year Madej had been due to stand trial, alongside 39-year-old Tomasz Bubrowksi, for the killing .

Bubrowksi was convicted and given a life sentence, with almost 31 years to be spent behind bars, but before the trial could start Madej, of no fixed address, skipped bail and fled to Poland.

In November he was arrested in Krakow and brought back to Britain to stand trial.

At Bolton Crown Court the prosecution alleged that Madej was one of four masked men who ambushed 39-year-old Mr Zuchlinski in Davenport Street, Bolton, on the evening of February 6 2016, hacking him to death with machetes and knives.

The jury heard how brave witness Naseran Iqbal came across the attack scene, sounded her horn to scare the killers away, called police and then cradled dying Mr Zuchlinski in her lap.

“All of those involved [in the attack] at Davenport Street, including the [getaway] driver, were part of a joint enterprise which intended really serious harm and resulted in the death of Mr Zuchlinski,” Mark Monaghan, prosecuting, told the jury.

The court heard how, 11 days before the murder, Madej was with Bubrowski at B&Q buying items including a brush hook — a machete-like implement.

The killing occurred at around 9.30pm and Bubrowski called Madej three times in the 90 minutes prior to the murder.

The prosecution also alleged, from mobile phone cell siting records, that Brubrowski and Madej were together shortly after the murder, with them both ending up at City View apartments in Salford at 11.30pm that evening.

In the week before the murder Madej had stayed at the Whites Hotel and the Premier Inn in Chorley New Road, Horwich, with Mr Mongahan asserting that this was because he was using them as a base from which to search for Mr Zuchlinski.

Bubrowski and Madej were arrested by police at the City View apartments on February 12 2016, where officers also found knives and two brush hooks.

But Judge Clayson commented that there was no evidence that any of the items found at the apartment had been used in the attack on Mr Zuchlinski.

Furthermore, the prosecution had been unable to find evidence to place Madej in Davenport Street at the time of the murder and could not definitively place him with Bubrowski that evening until two hours after the killing.

He added that the prosecution could only speculate that Madej was at the hotels in order to search for Mr Zuchlinski and being there did not mean he also went to Davenport Street.

Judge Clayson added that while Madej may have assisted Bubrowski after the murder, he could not be placed at the scene.

Telling the jury that they must find Madej not guilty of murder, Judge Clayson told them: "At the heart of the case is the proposition advanced to you by the prosecution to this effect - that this defendant can be shown to have been at the scene of the murder.

"Even though there is no direct evidence of him being at the scene [the prosecution say] you will be able to reasonably draw the conclusion that he was present and involved in the killing."

But he added that he had decided that there was not sufficient evidence for a jury to conclude Madej had been there.

"It would not be proper to allow this case to go any further," Judge Clayson told the eight women and four men of the jury.

Madej, who had been remanded in custody awaiting trial, was freed.

Following the formal "not guilty" verdict Judge Clayson paid tribute to Mrs Iqbal, who had given evidence at the trials of both Bubrowski and Madej.

Following Bubrowski's conviction she received a Chief Constable's commendation for her actions on the night of the murder.

"Mrs Iqbal was incredibly brave and public spirited, " said Judge Clayson.

"It would not be right to part with the case without referring to the very brave actions and very kindness she showed to Mr Zuchlinski. She was very brave indeed to sound her horn and get out of her car to assist him.

"I cannot commend her twice, but if I could I would."