A couple have been cleared of murdering a man who died after being stabbed during a fight in North Lanarkshire.
Ryan Shields, 25, and Holli Allison, 22, had been charged with killing Scott French at their home in Airdrie, last April 4.
Scott, 27, – known as Frenchy – died when a vital vein was struck after being stabbed on the leg.
Jurors returned a not proven verdict against Shields at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday.
Allison had the murder charge thrown out by a judge after submissions by her legal team during the trial.
Both had denied the allegation.
Shields told jurors how he had been making a cup of tea at the couple’s home when the “s*** hit the fan” late at night.
He said: “I saw him (Scott) in the hall armed with a knife in his hand.”
Shields added the dad came “charging” at him.
He went on: “It was a life or death situation I found myself in. I was swinging a cup holder about.
“Scott French has ended up on top of me and Holli was screaming ‘get off him, get off him’.”
Prosecutors had claimed Scott was struck with a “blunt object” and then repeatedly struck with a knife or knives.
Jurors also returned not proven verdicts against Shields on further charges of attempting to defeat the ends of justice and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
After the jury’s decision, there could be loud cheers heard following Shields being returned to the court cell area.
He had been on remand during the trial.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
