One of four people standing trial accused of attacking a group of Muslims in Derby has had the case against him dropped.

Reece Hallas, 19, of Alvaston, had the charge dropped during the trial at Derby Crown Court. The teen, of Ashcroft Close, had been accused of racially aggravated assault following an attack on two men who the court was told “had their heads stamped on”. But yesterday he walked free from court.

Two men – Jake Sutherland, 18, of Hollington, Ashbourne, and Callum Toone, 20, of Field Lane, Alvaston, remain facing the charge while 36-year-old Claire Holdsworth, of Abbey Street, is accused of causing racially aggravated fear or provocation. All of them deny the allegations.

Three men wearing traditional Islamic clothes were allegedly taunted as “terrorists” and attacked by a racist gang as they walked through a Derby street. One of the victims was knocked unconscious while another suffered injuries to his eye and ear after having his head stamped on.

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A hunk of raw bacon was thrown at a shop worker in what police believe was a racially-motivated attack.

The incident happened at the Pemberton Service Station on Ormskirk Road, Pemberton, at about 4.30am on Monday. The Asian attendant was working alone in the station when the door opened and the offender threw the slice of raw bacon. He then ran out of the shop and up Ormskirk Road towards Orrell.

The attacker was white, about 5ft 8 of a medium build and with short, dark hair. He was wearing a bright-green and black-chequered snood covering the lower part of his face and head, a black jacket with two white stripes down each arm and a white line under the arms. He was also wearing baggy light-blue jeans and dark trainers with white laces and a white rim around the bottom.

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A 25-year-old man has been found guilty of helping two former soldiers fire-bomb a mosque in Grimsby as a reprisal for the killing of soldier Lee Rigby.

Stuart Harness, 34, and Gavin Humphries, 37, have already admitted throwing four petrol bombs at the Grimsby Islamic Cultural Centre four days after the murder of Fusilier Rigby outside Woolwich Barracks in south east London in May. The pair were caught on CCTV making the bombs and then throwing them at the mosque doors as terrified worshippers were trapped inside.

Daniel Cressey was found guilty on Thursday by a jury at Grimsby Crown Court of aiding and abetting Harness and Humphries. Cressey drove his friends the short distance from Harness’s home in Dixon Avenue in the town to the mosque but did not take part in the arson attack. All three men will be sentenced at Hull Crown Court on December 20.

Judge Mark Bury remanded Cressey, of New Holland, North Lincolnshire, in custody and told him a prison sentence was inevitable. Harness and Humphries, both of Dixon Avenue, Grimsby, are also in custody.

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