A MAN who was at the wheel of a bus when it collided with and killed his friend has been cleared of manslaughter.Jack Newson was accused of causing the death of Adam Brand, 19, by deliberately steering a single-decker bus towards a group of people.

A MAN who was at the wheel of a bus when it collided with and killed his friend has been cleared of manslaughter.

Jack Newson was accused of causing the death of Adam Brand, 19, by deliberately steering a single-decker bus towards a group of people.

Newson, of Ballingdon Street, Sudbury, had denied manslaughter during his trial at Ipswich Crown Court.

Following legal submissions by defence counsel Stephen Dyble a judge ruled yesterday that there was no case to answer due to insufficient evidence.

He ordered the jury to find Mr Newson, 26, not guilty of manslaughter.

Mr Newson, who appeared to wipe away tears as the decision was announced, was formally discharged by the court.

The court had earlier heard how Newson was “showing off” when he got behind a wheel of a single-decker bus at the East Coast Extreme show at Bentwaters Park and drove at a group of people including Mr Brand, of Bramford Road, Ipswich on July 31, 2005.

Stephen Harvey, prosecuting, said: “He drove the bus deliberately towards a group of his friends, all of whom had to jump for their lives - sadly Adam Brand wasn't quick enough and he died because of Jack Newson's actions.”

He alleged that Newson, who was the event manager of the show, had intended to scare his friends by driving at them and braking at the last moment.

Newson told police he hadn't deliberately driven at his friends with the intention of scaring them.

Mr Brand's father, Gary, said last night that the family were “very upset” with the decision.

He said the impact of losing his son had “destroyed the whole family” and led to he and his wife, Susan, separating.

Their surviving son, Matthew, 18, has also been very affected by his brother's death and had been treated for depression.

“Adam had his whole life in front of him and everybody loved him. He has gone now and it is all for nothing.”

n Bus driver Shane Dawson, of Harland Street, Ipswich, who was also accused of manslaughter, was formally cleared at an earlier hearing.