Such A Pleasant Family Gathering…

A woman says she feels let-down after prosecutors dropped criminal charges against a man accused of assaulting her.

Jo Cooper was taken to hospital with a black eye and bruising to her face after an incident at a family party.

Her brother-in-law, Paul Cross, 44, of Capel Avenue, Peacehaven, denied one count of assault against her and was due to stand trial in a crown court.

But prosecutors dropped their case, saying conflicting statements would make it hard to challenge his claim that he was acting in self-defence.

Blimey! Of course, this won’t sit well with the outraged kinfolk:

Mrs Cooper’s mother, Lea Mylton-Thorley, who was at the party, said: “We did not get a chance [to talk to police].

“They took an hour to get ambulance and police there.”

“They went straight into him and they did not have any interest in anybody else.”

That must have been some party!

In the details, all suddenly becomes clear…

Sussex Police said officers attending the scene were “led to believe” Mrs Cooper was the assailant and she was too “intoxicated” to give a clear account herself.

Inspector Rob Lovell added: “It is not clear whether if the man had initially been identified as the suspect by those at the scene, the case would have progressed to Crown Court, but we respect our CPS colleagues’ decision to discontinue it.”

Which can be read any number of ways, can’t it?