Prosecutors have dismissed a number of charges at a home invasion trial that's playing out at St. John's provincial court.

After several weeks of hearing evidence — much of which is circumstantial — the Crown indicated Wednesday that there are problems with identification and not enough evidence to proceed in two of four home invasion cases.

A multitude of charges were then dismissed against Abdifatah Mohamed, 28, Tyler Donahue, 24, Mitchell Nippard, 26, and Gary Hennessey, 33.

The dismissed charges were in relation to home invasions on Mount Royal Avenue in the centre of St. John's on Feb. 4, 2017, and in a basement apartment on Fourth Avenue in Mount Pearl on Feb. 3, 2017.

Brad Wadden had previously testified that two of his dogs were shot after three masked men barged into his parents' home on Mount Royal Avenue. He said he did not know who the men were.

Cory Peddle recounted a frightening story when he took the stand earlier this month, testifying that he and his friend were held at gunpoint by three armed intruders.

However, he too could not identify his attackers.

To recap: charges related to the home invasion on Mount Royal Avenue in which 2 dogs were shot have been dropped. Charges in relation to home invasion and robbery of Cory Peddle in Mt. Pearl dropped as well. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbcnl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cbcnl</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nlcrime?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nlcrime</a> —@arianakelland

Three of the men — Mohamed, Nippard and Hennessey — still stand accused of home invasions on Milton Road and Angel's Road in Paradise as well as a break-in on Cameo Drive in the same town.

The Crown said it cannot prove Donahue's involvement in the home invasion on Milton Road, in which Daphne and Ivan Crant, their son Michael, and his friends were bound with plastic cable ties and robbed.

"Your honour, our evidence relies heavily on circumstantial evidence," Dwyer said.

Tyler Donahue, 24, has had the majority of the charges against him withdrawn, with the exception of two, in relation to an armed intrusion at a home on Angel's Road in Paradise on Feb. 9, 2017. (Ted Dillon/CBC)

As for Donahue's connection to the final home invasion, Dwyer said the Crown is suggesting that he was "present at, although not inside" the home on Angel's Road.

A police dog tracked Donahue from the alleged getaway car to a wooded area off the Trans-Canada Highway in the area of Conception Bay South.

"Really, what does that leave for us when it comes to Mr. Donahue?" said defence lawyer Michelle Elliott during her final submissions.

"He was found by a dog."

Crown prosecutors say Gary Hennessey, 33, helped plan two home invasions in Paradise on Feb. 8, 2017 and Feb. 9, 2017. (Ted Dillon/CBC)

Elliott also pointed out that, while there were alleged stolen goods found in the trunk of the reported getaway car, there's no evidence to suggest Donahue knew what was inside.

As for evidence that suggests Hennessey, Nippard and Donahue were friends, Elliott said, "Guilt doesn't necessarily follow association."

Took part in planning, prosecution says

Meanwhile, Dwyer suggested that Mohamed was one of the masked men inside the Crant family home on Milton Road in Paradise, and that the gun he used to beat Michael Crant was the same weapon found near the home invasion on Angel's Road.

Crant's DNA was found on the .22-calibre gun.

DNA evidence found on a cup and plastic fork inside the Mazda 3 is linked to Mohamed, Dwyer reminded the court.

As for Nippard and Hennessey, it "appears (they) did not enter the property of 69 Angel's Road" but unsuccessfully provided getaway for Donahue, Mohamed and a fifth suspect, Mohamed Salim, Dwyer said.

Salim was found dead two kilometres away from the crime scene, on March 3, 2017. It's suspected he died of exposure.

Mitchell Nippard looks at the camera as he appears in provincial court in St. John's, as lawyers for both sides make final arguments Wednesday. (Ted Dillon/CBC)

Dwyer said the prosecution also cannot prove Nippard was inside the Crant home on Milton Road, but suggested he had a role in planning it.

She noted that Nippard gave Mohamed and Salim a place to stay at his Portugal Cove Road home. The Crown concluded that because of that connection, Nippard should be found guilty of robbery and break and enter.

As in Nippard's case, the Crown cannot prove Hennessey was inside the targeted home on Milton Road the night before.

She said Hennessey was involved in the planning of the armed intrusion by purchasing the zipties used to tie up the Crant family and their friends.

Crown suggests that Gary Hennessey purchased zip ties at Walmart that were later used in the Milton Road home invasion. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbcnl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cbcnl</a> <a href="https://t.co/PYuG1fgOGl">pic.twitter.com/PYuG1fgOGl</a> —@arianakelland

A Walmart receipt for cable ties and food items dated Feb. 7, 2017 — one day before the home invasion on Milton Road — was found inside the Mitsubishi Lancer that Hennessey and Nippard were driving the evening of their arrests.

However, Hennessey's lawyer, Derek Hogan, argued that there's no proof Hennessey knew what the cable ties would be used for.

Lawyers representing Donahue, Nippard and Hennessey all argued that the Crown has not made its case against them and that there were gaps in the prosecution's theory.

Mohamed, meanwhile, has asked Judge Mike Madden to render a directed verdict because, he said, no jury would find him guilty.

"I'd also like to add that it's complicated now because it's predominantly a circumstantial case," he said, reading off the legal pad he's used throughout the trial.

Madden will rule on Mohamed's application on March 7.

If he rules against it, Mohamed will have a lawyer make final arguments on his behalf.