A 57-year-old man has been cleared of throwing toxic liquid over a couple who turned up at his door following an earlier argument.

Scott McIntosh was alleged to have thrown a noxious substance over the man and woman after they went to his home in Darrell Place, Norwich.

The incident happened after he had left a nearby property following a row during which he had called the woman a "slapper".

Mr McIntosh had been on trial at Norwich Crown Court having denied both offences, which were said to have happened on September 4, 2021.

Norwich Crown CourtNorwich Crown Court (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest) On Monday, he was acquitted after jurors found him not guilty of both offences following more than four hours of deliberations.

Mr McIntosh did receive a seven-day prison sentence having previously admitted a bail act offence of failing to surrender to custody on July 22 this year.

However, he was released from custody immediately having been detained since his arrest last month.

The trial, which started last week, heard Mr McIntosh tell the court that the man and the woman - who were in a relationship at the time - brought the substance with them to the door of his property.

He told the jury it was after the woman's partner had threatened to kill him for making the earlier insult.

Ed Renvoize, defending Mr McIntosh, said there was a discrepancy between witness descriptions of the noxious substance having been squirted from a half-full water bottle or a Cillit Bang cleaning product bottle.

He said the incident followed threats made by one of the couple against McIntosh, including one to “crack the f*** out of him”.

“He did not go out of his flat looking for them. They came to his home looking for him and it is clear who it was who was angry,” said Mr Renvoize.