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[Techie1 + 2,024]

The 'highly unusual decision' by CPS has sparked debate.

A case involving a drug driver has been thrown out of court after the officer in the case was unable to attend proceedings due to his baby being in intensive care.

PC Steve Lee, a roads policing officer with Norfolk and Suffolk Roads Policing unit, took to social media to reveal the decision.

He tweeted: “Told today a drug drive case of mine was thrown out of court due to me being in intensive care with my baby, rather than giving evidence.”

He also tweeted: “I have raised a complaint to @cpsuk via my department's senior management. What are your thoughts on this decision @symondsa?”

The tweets generated a lot of debate on social media and have since been taken down.

PC Lee tweeted: “Lots of support in relation to this tweet, thank you. For all those who have asked about our daughter she is doing great & making progress.”

Andy Symonds, Chairman of Norfolk Police Federation, said: “We are liaising with the constabulary and the court to find out the facts of the incident.

“We cannot make any further comment at this stage until we know the facts about why this highly unusual decision was made.

“We also have to be cognisant of the fact that this case may still be subject to legal issues which we wouldn’t want to encroach onto.”

Norfolk Constabulary said it will not be providing a comment.

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[HazRat 762]

Norfolk won't be making a comment, but the officer will. I take it from that then they didn't really support the initial tweet.

[Zulu 22 + 4,628]

There has always been a disparity in case where people cannot attend. In the defendant's case you can get an adjournment for all kinds of nefarious reasons, but in the case of the Prosecution there seems to be a different standard and the defence apply to have a Not Guilty finding. I think the term they use is "Want of Prosecution"

The officer has raised the matter with CPS through his department head. 

I can fully sympathise  with the officer but there seems to be one law for the Defence and another for the Prosecution, and it is more than annoying..

[Mac7 808]

I would like to think that the court was not fully aware as to why the OiC was unable to attend. The magistrates/Judge would have to be pretty cold hearted to not to adjourn the case given the circumstances.