TWO Vietnamese friends accused of a Samurai sword attack walked free from the Old Bailey yesterday after the case against them was dropped.

Mathematics student Vuong Nguyen, 21, and a 16-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons, were accused of the attempted murder of Harry Thorpe.

Mr Thorpe was punched to the ground and stabbed in the back with a Samurai sword on September 5 last year.

His arm was sliced open as he blocked another blow from the blade.

Nguyen, of Scowen Road, Deptford, and the teenager, from Charlton, both denied the charge.

The court was told Nguyen was playing on his computer at home at the time of the attack.

Yesterday Judge Paul Worsley discharged both defendants after the prosecution offered no evidence against them.

He said: "They cannot place you at the scene of the attack and I am returning a not guilty verdict."