A boy accused of setting up a "revenge" attack when a man was stabbed to death today walked free from court.
Connor Dockerty was knifed four times, including once in the heart, by a 14-year-old boy in a Huyton street.
The victim, 23, was killed by the teenager, Boy A - who cannot be named for legal reasons - in Kingsway.
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Boy A, now 15, was found guilty of murder in December after a six-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
A second teen, Boy B, was alleged to have "instigated" the violence and to have punched the victim.
Prosecutors said they "jointly attacked" Mr Dockerty in a "planned attack", on Monday, April 19 last year.
Boy B, then 15 but now 16, insisted there was no plan and he didn't know or suspect Boy A had a knife.
He claimed he had tried to protect the victim by pushing him away when Boy A started stabbing him.
Boy B was acquitted of murder in December, but that jury couldn't reach a verdict on a charge of manslaughter.
Today, following a 13-day retrial, a second jury also failed to reach a verdict on the manslaughter charge, after 10 and a half hours of deliberation.
Judge Neil Flewitt, QC, discharged the jury, before giving the Crown Prosecution Service time to consider whether it sought a third trial.
Tania Griffiths, QC, prosecuting, told the court: "The prosecution do not seek a further retrial and, in those circumstances, offer no evidence."
Judge Flewitt said: "I understand that there may well be people who are disappointed by that decision.
"But I'm sure, having considered the authorities and the overall circumstances of this case, that it is the right decision for you to have made."
At the second trial, prosecutors alleged Boy B only intended to assault Mr Dockerty and to cause him some harm - not to kill him or cause him really serious injury.
Ms Griffiths said: "Boy B, we say, not only took part in the joint attack, he appears to have instigated it, in revenge for Connor having slighted his girlfriend."
She said the "catalyst" seemed to be a "minor verbal altercation" between Mr Dockerty, who was on a bike, and three teenage girls, including Boy B's partner.
Ms Griffiths said: "Connor Dockerty seems to have barged through the group of females who were blocking his way.
"It is suggested by one witness that he took hold of one of them - Boy B's girlfriend - and shoved her into the road, or threatened to do so."
Phone records showed this girl rang Boy B at 7.50pm, when he was with Boy A and a third teen, Boy C.
Boy C recalled he heard Boy B say "what, he's hit you?" and Boy B began "running with rage".
Minutes after his girlfriend rang him, Boy B was seen on CCTV outside Stanley News and Wine in Kingsway.
Prosecutors said he was "clearly restless and agitated" and walking up and down "as if waiting for someone".
Boy A - on a red Trek bike - and Boy C arrived, then Boy A and Boy B went off ahead, at around 8pm.
Witnesses described a "scuffle" when Mr Dockerty could be seen "trying to get away" from Boy A.
Afterwards, Boy A was shown on CCTV footage disposing of the murder weapon in a wheelie bin.
A second knife was recovered from a grass verge, near to where the stabbing happened.
Ms Griffiths said forensic evidence suggested Boy A had both knives and dropped one, then used the other.
The day after, Boy B's dad rang police to say his son had information, and police visited his home to interview him as a potential witness.
Ms Griffiths said during his dad's phone call, Boy B was heard to refer to Boy A having had "two knives".
When Boy B was arrested on April 20, he told police: "I'm not the one who held the knives."
Ms Griffiths argued this showed he was aware there would be a "violent confrontation", which was "exactly what he wanted".
When giving evidence, Boy B said he had no idea Boy A had a knife.
Under questioning by Nigel Power, QC, defending, he denied flying into a rage when his girlfriend rang him.
The teen said he left the other boys to find her, without telling them what had happened - though it was possible they overheard him on the phone.
He told the jury that when Boy A attacked the victim, he tried to stop him.
In a Snapchat conversation after the stabbing, Boy B told his girlfriend: "I will grass him up if I have to, I'm not arsed."
At the first trial, he denied trying to "save his own skin" at the expense of Boy A.
Mr Power today asked Judge Flewitt to consider granting his client travel costs.
Judge Flewitt said: "I haven't looked recently at the regulations, but there is an extent to which Boy B contributed to the situation that arose, even if he's not guilty of any of the charges that were brought against him.
"If I were able to reflect that in any decision that I made, I would not be inclined to make the application."
He gave the defence 24 hours to consider whether they wanted to pursue the application.
Judge Flewitt told the teen: "I want you to understand that what has happened has the same effect as if the jury had found you not guilty, so there is a not guilty verdict recorded against you.
"But you do need to reflect carefully on everything that happened that day and bear it in mind in your future conduct."
Boy A will be sentenced at a later date alongside John Batey, 44, of no fixed address but from Huyton, who was found guilty of assisting an offender at the first trial.
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