Our fury over pub-raid let off

ROBBED of trust: April Grimes (right), landlady of The Britannia Tavern, Hollins, with daughter Katie Jones

A FURIOUS landlady has vowed to complain to the Crown Prosecution Service after a burglary case was dropped in court — despite two men being caught red-handed.

Victim April Grimes, who watched police officers catch the robbers in the act at her Hollins pub, is outraged after they walked free from Oldham Magistrates’ Court last week.

The publican claims a sock full of money believed to be stolen from a fruit machine inside The Britannia Tavern, Hollins Road, was discovered by the police upon arrest.

The two men, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty at an earlier court appearance and a three-day trial fixed.

The trial failed to begin as the CPS had not received all the necessary papers. A request for an adjournment so the papers could be obtained was denied

The District Judge went on to dismiss the case as an “abuse of the process”.

Ms Grimes said: “I have just lost trust with the legal system, it’s disgusting and I feel let down.

“I was asked to attend court as a witness and when I got there, the last thing I expected was for them to walk free.

“My partner and I saw the police catch them red-handed. What more can be done?

“It makes us look like we are easy victims and a laughing stock. That’s how we feel.”

Ms Grimes and her partner were asleep around 4.50am on a Sunday morning in July when they heard banging from downstairs. She phoned 999 and the police arrived minutes later.

Watching from her bedroom window she saw both men eventually arrested.

Kate McAlinden, district crown prosecutor for the area said: “This case was dismissed because some of the evidence was not available in court I am looking into why so that I can contact the victim with a full explanation.

“The CPS will also consider the District Judge’s reasons for dismissing the case.”


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