A SCRAP metal yard worker has been found not guilty of accepting “suspicious” cables from undercover police officers posing as thieves.

Tommy Smith, of Bloxham Road, Bloxham, was yesterday cleared of one count of attempting to conceal, convert or disguise criminal property on March 29 last year.

The prosecution alleged that Mr Smith accepted metal from two undercover officers – codenamed Andy and Kinger – who pretended to have recently stolen it.

But throughout his trial, the 36-year-old maintained he had suspected the pair were thieves and was trying to trap them by playing along.

A jury at Oxford Crown Court convicted his brother Joey Smith, 24, of five counts of the same offence, but could not reach a verdict in relation to Tommy Smith.

Yesterday Jonathan Stone, who prosecuted the case, told Judge Ian Pringle the Crown Prosecution Service would not be seeking a retrial.

Tommy Smith now faces three allegations relating to a shotgun, a pepper spray and a stun gun allegedly found when the police raided Smiths of Bloxham, in Milton near Banbury.

The charges are possessing a shotgun without a licence and two counts of possessing a banned weapon.

He was released on unconditional bail.