A MAN accused of being involved in a robbery during which a man was stabbed twice in his Lowestoft hotel room has been cleared by a jury.

Christopher McRoberts, 28, of Tedder Road, Lowestoft, had denied robbing Oliver Hewitt in his room at the Abigail Court Hotel, in the town on August 1 last year and was found not guilty after a trial.

During the trial Ipswich Crown Court heard Mr Hewitt had been in his hotel room and had answered a knock at the door thinking it was his girlfriend.

He was then confronted by three men, two of whom wore balaclavas and scarves, and one was carrying a knife.

The court heard Mr Hewitt was thrown on to the bed and was punched in the face by a man wearing a balaclava. Mr McRoberts had then allegedly got on top of Mr Hewitt and produced a knife, which he held to his throat.

The other two men searched the room and left after finding £240 in a wallet. Mr Hewitt felt blood on his pyjama bottoms and realised he had been stabbed twice in his buttock, said Mr O'Donnell.

Meanwhile, Mr Hewitt's partner had returned to the room and raised the alarm after finding the door was locked and hearing shouting inside the room.

Giving evidence, Mr McRoberts said he had gone to the hotel with two other men and only realised they had balaclavas with them when they got to the hotel. He denied knocking on Mr Hewitt's door or going into the room and said he had waited at the door.

He also denied holding a knife to Mr Hewitt's throat or demanding money from him, and accused Mr Hewitt of lying.