Councillor, 71, found not guilty of assault (From The Argus)
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Councillor, 71, found not guilty of assault
1:30pm Sunday 30th September 2012 in News By Ben Parsons, Crime Reporter
A councillor has spoken of his relief after he was cleared of assaulting a retirement home manager.
Conservative Brian Coomber described the stress of a case which dragged on for six months before he was finally found not guilty.
But the Adur District Council and West Sussex County Council politician said the experience has not put him off street-level campaigning.
Beverley Truscott, the manager of the St Paul’s Lodge retirement complex in Southdown Road, Shoreham, told police she was assaulted by Coun Coomber on March 1.
She said that when he turned up at the complex and tried to get in to distribute pre-election leaflets she refused him access, saying only people invited by residents could go in.
She then claimed he assaulted her by grabbing her hand as she opened the door to let a resident out.
Coun Coomber, of Buckingham Road, Shoreham, appeared at Worthing Magistrates’ Court accused of assault by beating.
‘Pushed back’
The 71-year-old, who represents Shoreham on West Sussex County Council and the St Nicholas ward on Adur District Council, denied the charge.
He said he had been pushed back from the door by Ms Truscott.
He was found not guilty by district judge Peter Crabtree after a trial.
Coun Coomber told The Argus he would write to the company which runs St Paul’s Lodge complaining about his ordeal and saying the building should improve its entry system.
He spoke of his experience being questioned and arrested by police.
He said: “You start to worry when they start looking serious.
“You think, ‘Hang on, I haven’t done anything’.”
After the court case, the tension was released.
Coun Coomber said: “After the judge said, ‘You can go, Mr Coomber’, it was just me and my wife. We had an emotional reunion.
“It affects the people around you more than yourself.”
He said friends and council colleagues had been in touch giving their support after the verdict.
Comments(6)
Goldenwight
says...
5:40pm Sun 30 Sep 12
Quite clearly it should, since the current system apparently allows unwanted visitors to attempt forced access. Perhaps a couple of claymore mines outside to deal with Conservative nuisance callers?
F in L
says...
6:23pm Sun 30 Sep 12
Dirk Von Roden
says...
6:43pm Sun 30 Sep 12
Sussex jim
says...
8:37pm Sun 30 Sep 12
People living in communal accomodation have a right to receive all circulars, the same as anyone with a letter box on the street.
Skidrow
says...
1:45pm Mon 1 Oct 12
People living in communal accommodation have the right to not be bothered by tw*ts like that trying to force leaflets upon them personally. The home has a letterbox, he could have put them through there like the postman does with letters.
Isaac Rinkfern says...
3:13pm Sun 30 Sep 12
These politicians bang on about transparency and the such like, and yet the people voting were not aware that there were outstanding charges for violent crime to be addressed, did they not have the right to know, after all ther judge did make it clear that he did not believe that the victim was lying, just that the burden of criminal proof was high.