Welsh woman cleared of racism after judge found her to be more 'credible' than her English accuser
A Welsh woman has been cleared of racism against her English neighbour after a court found she was more "credible" than her accuser.
Ellen Jones had her conviction for racially aggravated harassment overturned after her alleged victim claimed the incident happened after he arrived back from seeing the horror movie IT, which the defense pointed out had been released two years prior to the incident.
Mrs Jones, 66, was alleged to have called her neighbor, Benjamin McLean, a “dirty immigrant” during a row over parking, as well as reportedly telling his mother to go “back to her own country”.
The carer from Trem y Noddfa, Carno, mid Wales, was initially convicted at Welshpool court after Mr Mclean, 29, from Birmingham, claimed she had hurled a drunken volley of abuse at him and his partner, Rhian, came back from seeing the film on October 23 last year.
He had alleged that Mrs Jones was ‘swaying’ due to alcohol when she approached him and his mother, Mandy, 57, who had been babysitting for him, as they went to her car and called them “foreigners” before tripping over a breeze block.
Mrs Jones, who was described as 'well known and loved around the community' in character references, denied the incident saying she had been drinking tea in her conservatory with her son Gareth when the offence allegedly occurred.
However, at an appeal hearing at Caernarfon Crown Court, Jemma Gordon, defending Mrs Jones, pointed out the film Mr McLean claimed to have seen was released in 2017, adding: “There's simply too much doubt in this case [and] inconsistencies as to what has been said.”
Overturning the conviction, Judge Nicola Jones, said: “We are not sure that the incident which is alleged to have taken place, took place on October 23 or indeed at all. We found yourself and your son to be more credible witnesses in this case."
