The older brother of Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha has been cleared of robbing a wheelchair-bound amputee after his case was thrown out.

Serge Zaha, 30, was said to have stolen a black rucksack from Rami Alshahroor in Bulganak Road, Thornton Heath, on November 18 last year.

It was claimed Mr Zaha flagged down a car specially adapted for disabled drivers before jumping inside to steal Mr Alshahroor's bag.

Mr Zaha, of Dunheved Road South, Thornton Heath, is believed to have been seriously injured during the incident and is now wheelchair-bound.

Mr Alshahroor made two very different statements to police about what actually happened and the case was dismissed by Judge Jeffrey Pegden QC at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday July 11.

Prosecuting Martin Whitehouse had said: "On the face of it, robbing someone who is disabled is a very serious matter.

"The difficulty in this case is that complainant made two almost completely different statements, at logger heads with each other.

"It seems to me that on the face of it, it would be simple inevitable that the case would collapse on this during a trial."

Judge Pegden said: "It seems to me it would be impossible in this case to go about bringing a successful prosecution."

He ordered he be refunded £50 for his travel to the five separate hearings he has attended in the case.