Gavin Alker cleared of killing Michael Causer

Feb 20 2009 Chloe Griffiths

A YOUNG man has been cleared of battering an openly gay teenager to death.

Jurors took almost 13 hours to find Gavin Alker not guilty of killing hairdresser Michael Causer, 18.

Smartly-dressed Alker, 19, showed little emotion in the dock as the five men and seven women panel at Liverpool crown court cleared him of both murder and manslaughter.

Members of Mr Causer’s family ran from the court after the verdicts were delivered.

They wept and hugged each other outside court.

Relatives and friends have filled the public gallery every day during the two-week trial.

It was alleged Alker had punched, kicked and thrown a hardback book at Mr Causer in a homophobic attack after an all-night drinking session at a house in Biglands Drive, Huyton.