Alpha 
Post by fretslider on Jan 3, 2011 17:33:42 GMT -5
A man who threw a snowball at a police officer faces a second court appearance next week after being charged with common assault. Dean Smith had been playing with his family when he took aim at the officer.
Three days later police arrived at his house, handcuffed him and charged him with common assault. He appeared before magistrates in Derby before Christmas and his case was adjourned until 12 January.
"I had been playing with my stepson, having a little snowball fight. I had one snowball left in my hand and saw the police officer and just threw it as a joke – I'm not even sure it hit her. Nothing happened so I didn't think much more of it. Then three days later [the police] turned up at my house in a riot van and arrested me for assaulting a PC. I couldn't believe it – I thought they had the wrong person", Smith said.
Smith continued, "Even other police officers I have spoken with since were laughing, saying they can't believe [the case] is going ahead. They said if I had thrown a snowball at them they would have lobbed one back and had a bit of fun."
Magistrates have adjourned the case to allow the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to decide whether to proceed with the case or to give Smith a caution. A spokeswoman for Derbyshire police said she was unable to answer questions about the case. No one from the CPS in the city was available for comment.
My question is this: Should this man be prosecuted 'as charged', or not?
Three days later police arrived at his house, handcuffed him and charged him with common assault. He appeared before magistrates in Derby before Christmas and his case was adjourned until 12 January.
"I had been playing with my stepson, having a little snowball fight. I had one snowball left in my hand and saw the police officer and just threw it as a joke – I'm not even sure it hit her. Nothing happened so I didn't think much more of it. Then three days later [the police] turned up at my house in a riot van and arrested me for assaulting a PC. I couldn't believe it – I thought they had the wrong person", Smith said.
Smith continued, "Even other police officers I have spoken with since were laughing, saying they can't believe [the case] is going ahead. They said if I had thrown a snowball at them they would have lobbed one back and had a bit of fun."
Magistrates have adjourned the case to allow the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to decide whether to proceed with the case or to give Smith a caution. A spokeswoman for Derbyshire police said she was unable to answer questions about the case. No one from the CPS in the city was available for comment.
My question is this: Should this man be prosecuted 'as charged', or not?
