A Thornton Heath man who fatally stabbed a mugger has been cleared of his murder and manslaughter.

Otis Brown, of Frant Road, Thornton Heath, was cleared of all charges today after an Old Bailey jury accepted he had acted in self defence when stabbing Dwaine Douglas.

The jury also cleared him of possession of class A drugs with intent to supply.

The court heard how the 23-year-old old knifed Mr Douglas from the Tulse Hill estate in the heart during a scuffle outside flats in Thornton Heath.

It was claimed the 18-year-old and a group of friends had planned to steal Mr Brown's jewellery and cash.

But instead Mr Douglas was stabbed by Mr Brown off Brigstock Road on May 18 last year.

According to Mr Brown he was surrounded by the group and punched and kicked.

The court heard Mr Brown then grabbed a knife from the floor to protect himself.

In evidence Mr Brown said Mr Douglas had "walked on to the knife".

He said: "I was already in pain. I had cuts, my face was bleeding.

"When you are that scared and that petrified you cannot see what you have done.

"I couldn't see who I stabbed, who I didn't stab or whatever. I accept that I stabbed him now yes.

"They was so close to me, digging me in, giving me lots of punches and kicks."

Mr Douglas suffered a fatal stab wound which penetrated his heart, causing severe internal bleeding.

"I hold no bad feelings towards Dwaine Douglas at all. At the end of the day he was just misled by people older than him. They were putting him in the firing line," said Mr Brown.

Mr Brown smiled and waved to the public gallery after being cleared - but Mr Douglas' family stormed out of court.