Two Battersea brothers accused of murdering their mother’s lover on Valentine’s Day last year have been cleared.

On Tuesday Terry Clark, 25, Lewis Clark, 22, and their friend Ian Jenkins, 21, all from Battersea, found not guilty of murdering the father-of-five Steven Bates.

During the Old Bailey trial the jury of eight men and seven women heard Mr Bates, also from Battersea, had been having an affair with the Clark brother’s mother.

Mr Bates, 36, died when he was crushed by a 4x4 jeep and stabbed four times in Tennyson Street, near the Queen’s Arms pub on February 14 last year.

The trial started on February 9 but the jury took four-and-a-half days to reach a not guilty verdict.

Three weeks ago the trial was halted when a male juror fainted after hearing a description of the victim's horrific injuries.

The three defendants had all admitted being in the local area on the night in question but denied any involvement in the murder.

Prosecuting, Nicholas Hilliard QC said Mr Bates' relationship with Ms Clark had angered her husband Terry Clark snr, who was in jail, and her sons.

Mr Bates had spent Valentine’s Day evening with his girlfriend in her Battersea flat but left at 11pm shortly after receiving a phone call.

An hour later his dead body was found in a pool of blood near the Queen’s Arms pub. Mr Bates died from a 20cm wound to the neck, which caused massive blood loss.