Former Bishop's Castle councillor cleared in 'pathetic' hearing
A judge accused participants involved in a harassment case of being "pathetic" and acting like children in a playground.
District Judge Nigel Cadbury delivered his damning assessment after finding Darren Price, from Bishop's Castle, not guilty of harassment at Telford Magistrates Court.
The case, which began on Monday, initially saw postmaster and pub landlord Mr Price facing two charges of harassment brought by Bishop's Castle town councillors Simon Harris and Karen Bavastock, the mayor of the town.
Key components in the case were an email sent by Mr Price to the mayor which asked if she would take part in a sponsored slim to aid the fight against obesity. Mr Price also reported Mr Harris to his employers Dudley Building Society, accusing Mr Harris of "having a go" at him and his partner and being homophobic.
The charge relating to Karen Bavastock was thrown out and Mr Price was found not guilty of the remaining charge yesterday.
Following his verdict on the case, District Judge Cadbury poured scorn on the behaviour of the key participants in the case.
He said: "The behaviour of the people involved in the case, particularly Mr Price and Mr Harris, and the level of their complaint, has been utterly childish and pathetic. The behaviour of the mayor was also not great. The case does nothing but harm the reputation of Bishop's Castle."
In his summary of the case, District Judge Cadbury said he found that Mr Price's behaviour did not make him guilty of criminal harassment.
But he added that he considered Mr Price sending an email to the mayor about taking part in a sponsored slim to fight obesity was hurtful.
The trial, which had initially been listed for six days, had previously been told that Mr Price had made "complaint after complaint" in an attempt to ruin Mr Harris' reputation, while Ms Bavastock told the court she had been left close to a nervous breakdown.
Details of a breakdown in the relationship between Mr Price and Mr Harris about three years ago were also discussed. Mr Price was arrested on charges of harassment in July last year, but it took more than a year for the case to come to court.
Following the verdict Mr Price said: "I am pleased that justice had been done and that Judge Cadbury and the court have seen through the smoke screen of mirrors.
"This has all been fuelled by homophobia and my success as a businessman – we have the right to defend ourselves and to live freely and in peace, and this is all I was trying to do.
"I hope inquiries are made into the conduct of the CPS and the police officers to prevent this happening to somebody else in future."
