A teenage boy who stabbed a gang member four times on a bus in Rosehill has been cleared of causing grievous bodily harm.

The Sutton teenager, who cannot be named after the court imposed reporting restrictions to protect his identity, had been on trial at Croydon Crown Court charged with two counts of causing grievous bodily harm and possessing an offensive weapon.

A jury found the 16-year-old, who said he had acted in self-defence, not guilty of causing grievous bodily harm yesterday.

He was found guilty of possessing an offensive weapon after four hours of deliberation.

During a four-day trial, which began on Monday, the court heard the boy stabbed a gang member four times close to his collar bone and right shoulder with a kitchen knife on the 151 bus, near the Rosehill roundabout, on October 24 last year.

The blade snapped at the handle after the teen stabbed the gang member the fourth time.

In court the teen said he had acted in self-defence as he feared the gang member had organised a large group to meet him at the next bus stop, near Angel Hill.

The victim then staggered off the bus with a second gang member before returning to get his mobile phone.

He then left the bus a final time and walked 250 yards before he collapsed and was taken to St George's Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Passengers then told the teenager to get off the bus after he said: "They will kill me if I get off the bus."

The 16-year-old later got off and ran to his girlfriend's house before he was arrested by the police at his parent's home later that day.

He is due to be sentenced Monday, August 24 at Croydon Crown Court.