The lunatics and the asylum

[expat]

There's a novelty. A Judge with some common sense.

Good job too: even at that the result was:
6-month wait for accused to come to trial.
6-day trial.
60,000 cost to taxpayer.
Last straw, man shuts up shop.
Kid gets message that what he's doing is OK.

If it wasn't for His Honour, it'd be a lot worse.

[wonderwaif]

There's a novelty. A Judge with some common sense.

[Mervalous]

spitting is assault, I believe you can make a citizens arrest for any crime that can possibly carry a jail sentence, surely assault could??

[DimPrawn]

I despair.

[expat]

Chip shop owner cleared of kidnapping vandal

The owner of a chip chop accused of kidnapping a boy who had spat at his customers has had all charges against him dismissed by a judge.

Nicholas Tyers, 46, and his son Lee Tyers, 20, a Royal Marine, chased after the 12-year-old boy after the window of their shop in Bridlington, East Yorkshire, was smashed.

They put him in the back of their car and drove him back to the shop to call the police. But after flagging down a passing patrol car, they themselves were arrested, and charged with kidnapping.

Halting the trial yesterday, Judge John Dowse said that the case was not in the public interest and questioned the decision to prosecute.

He told Hull Crown court that the men had carried out a perfectly legal citizen's arrest, and said: "I raise the question of whether or not there are far more serious cases to bring?".