Steve Peri and Mahmut Yenigun at an earlier court hearing.

Norwich nightclub owner Steve Peri has walked free from court after a jury cleared him of any involvement in a street brawl.

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The 52-year-old entrepreneur, whose family own and run entertainment venues in Prince of Wales Road including Mercy nightclub, Rocco’s bar and the Pulse/Lace club and bar, looked relieved as the jury returned a not guilty verdict following his week-long trial for affray at Norwich Crown Court.

Mahmut Yenigun, 36, who runs the DFC takeway next to Mercy, was also found not guilty by the jury who took just 45 minutes to deliver their verdict.

Throughout the trial both men had insisted that they had been keen to avoid a confrontation and had only acted out of self defence. Had father-of-three Mr Peri been found guilty, the verdict could have hit the businesses he has built up over decades and friends said he was delighted justice had been done.

Defence barrister Karim Khalil, summing up the case yesterday, had told the court that Mr Peri was a “hard-working” businessman who had built up his nightclub empire from humble beginnings as a kebab shop owner.

A number of references were handed to the court describing Peri as an upstanding member of the community.

Mr Khalil said that Philip Cawley, the man Mr Peri an Mr Yenigun were alleged to have fought, was the opposite of Mr Peri. Cawley, who had already admitted affray, was a man who was “intent on violence”. Mr Khalil added: “Both men were known locally, but for very different reasons.”

Mr Peri’s sons, Ibrahim, 27, an Dogan, 22, both of Prince of Wales Road, had already admitted affray in relation to their involvement. They will be sentenced along with Cawley, 27, of Ruskin Road, Norwich, who has already been recalled to prison in relation to an earlier offence.

Cawley had been barred from Mercy but on the night of the brawl in September last year, had arrived at the club and caused a scene. CCTV footage showed a large group gathering and some became violent.

Giving evidence, Peri said that it was Cawley, also known as Irish Phil, who had started the trouble, making threats to burn down his club and threatening his family after meeting him in the Shoosh bar.

Peri said that at first he dismissed Cawley’s threats but then started to take them more seriously.

He walked away but Cawley had followed him outside and Peri had pushed him away. He said that Cawley had then punched him in the face, cutting his lip.