Andrew Jay Hogan, 49, sobbed and put his head in his hands as he and his son, Sebastian Lewis Hogan, 19, were cleared on Wednesday of assault and unlawful confinement charges.

The pair faced trial in the ACT Supreme Court over the past week in relation to an episode outside their home at 2am one January morning in 2013.

The court heard Sebastian Hogan suspected the youths, linked with a gang styling itself "One Life", had damaged his car.

Sebastian Hogan and the youths traded messages, which culminated in the gang calling to warn they were on the way to his house.

The father and son then went outside to wait.

The Crown, led by prosecutor Sara Gul, claim they armed themselves with a baseball bat and a rifle, and set an ambush.

But defence barristers Steven Whybrow and Jason Moffett argued the pair simply acted in self-defence, and used their lawful powers to complete a citizen's arrest of two of the group.

During the trial, the court heard one of the youths, Jake Warcaba, had walked towards Sebastian Hogan with his shirt off, his face covered, and sunglasses and a hat on.

He said he simply wanted to shake Sebastian Hogan's hand to smooth things over, but also warn him to change his attitude.

Sebastian Hogan hit Mr Warcaba in the head with the bat, before he was tied up.

His father allegedly pointed a gun at another youth, Nathan Krecak, before Sebastian Hogan also hit him in the head with the bat.

Mr Krecak was tied up and allegedly dragged and placed next to Mr Warcaba.

The Hogans then called the police.