Thursday, September 21, 2006

Hit me Granny !

A pensioner arrested after a row with a teenage gang which left her with a suspected broken arm will not face assault charges. Diane Bond, 64, of Llandrindod Wells, Powys, said she was walking her dog when a teenager blocked her path and challenged her to hit him.

Mrs Bond said she did - and was then "flattened" by the teenager.

Dyfed-Powys Police said it had been decided that proceeding with the case was "not in the public interest."

Mrs Bond called the police inquiry "a waste of time from the very start".

She said "I suppose I'm quite relieved that I'm not going to court and I'm not going to be locked up," she said.

"It was bizarre, stupid and I'm appalled by the way police have treated me." She is considering taking the matter further.

Roger Williams, Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon and Radnorshire said: "I'm pleased that the pressure has been taken off this lady but my main concern was, and still is, how she was dealt with following the incident."

A spokeswoman for Dyfed-Powys Police said: "A file of evidence was sent to the CPS who have decided it is not in the public interest to proceed with the case."

The retired lab technician was walking her dog Hettie in a park on 27 July when the incident happened.

Ms Bond said at the time: "There were three main teenagers who were blocking our way on the path. The kids are sometimes like that around here, taunting you and stuff and it is usually water off a duck's back. This time one of them was showing off, flexing his muscles in front me and he said 'hit me' - so I did.

"I didn't do any damage at all but the next thing I know he's flattened me. I don't remember how I got up off the floor or how I got home. I was left shaken and crying."

Police officers later called round to the 5ft 1in grandmother's home and arrested her on suspicion of assault.

She said she was held between 2130 BST that day and 0130 BST the following morning, before police released her.

No comments: