A painter and decorator has been cleared of killing a Czech man in a street attack which sparked fears of post-Brexit violence.

Raymond Sculley was accused of beating catering manager Zdeněk Makar to death with a bicycle lock after their paths crossed at a chicken shop in east London on the evening of 21 September last year.

After the killing of the young professional, known as Zed, the prime minister offered her condolences to her Czech counterpart.

Following a trial at the Old Bailey, Sculley, 29, from Tower Hamlets in east London, was found not guilty of murder. He was also acquitted of an alternative charge of manslaughter.

Jurors had heard the 31-year-old victim who worked at the Royal Institute of British Architects was on his way home from drinks with colleagues when Sculley attacked him.

Sculley had spent the evening playing video games, smoking cannabis and chatting with friends before going to Perfect Chicken in East India Dock Road just as Makar arrived.

Seeing their bicycles strewn on the pavement outside, Makar allegedly joked to one of Sculley’s friends: “What’s this? A bike gang?”

It led to a minor spat with the youth inside the chicken shop before Sculley stepped in and put Makar into a “quasi-headlock”, jurors heard.

Sculley, wearing paint-splattered work clothes, was seen on CCTV acting aggressively towards the suited hospitality manager, who was trying to calm the situation, the court heard.

As Makar continued on his way, the defendant and his friends followed on bikes, the court was told.

Prosecutor Lisa Wilding QC said: “Mr Makar obviously believed he was being followed and turned to confront the group. He put his food down and took his jacket off. He was alone and unarmed.

“Raymond Sculley then removed a bicycle lock, a heavy metal chain attached to a solid locking end that he took from his own bike, and approached the helpless Mr Makar.

“He swung the improvised weapon and struck Mr Makar to the left side of his head, catching him behind the ear and knocking him to the ground where he then struck him at least twice more.”

As Makar lay dying in the street, Sculley stood over him and allegedly said: “Look what you made me do.”

Another passing cyclist saw the end of the attack and dialled 999 as residents rushed to help but Makar was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

Two days later, two of Sculley’s friends reported him to police over the attack.

The same day, Sculley handed himself in saying he felt “destroyed” and “like I’ve destroyed potential lives and future careers”.

Giving evidence, Sculley denied murdering Makar, claiming he did not intend to kill him and was acting in self-defence.