Apology at court (From Barry And District News)

Apology at court

A BARRY woman accused of harassing a South Wales policeman has had the case against her dropped.

Blackwood magistrates dismissed the charge against Cherri Brown, 26, of Osprey Court, and offered her the court's apology.

Magistrate Alan Humphries said to Miss Brown: "We can only apologise to you for what appears to be dreadful inefficiency by the police."

Tim Hackett, the solicitor representing Miss Brown, said: "The court has given specific directions to the police on at least two previous occasions and they have failed to comply."

The case had to be adjourned six times because the police had failed to produce the necessary evidence to support the case.

Miss Brown had appeared in court on all six occasions.

Miss Brown met Gwent policeman Pc Justin Davies, 34, from Ynysddu, on an internet chat room last year.

The harassment charge was based on her phoning him and sending him text messages and letters.

Miss Brown, who always denied the allegation, said: "I'm very relieved. It's been a very stressful and an upsetting time for me. We started chatting over the internet in August last year and then exchanged phone numbers.

"I believe the allegation of harassment was made against me because of a report I had made myself to the police about Pc Davies.

"I would like to say a big thank you to my solicitors who have been very supportive in all of this."

Pc Davies was among the policemen who went to New York as part of a special representation from the South Wales force after the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001.

Miss Brown added: "I never met him face-to-face but he seemed nice enough. We exchanged phone numbers and we chatted on the phone."