14 March 2014
Case thrown out
due to lack of interpreter
A
woman accused of calling a German neighbour "Hitler" has had the case
against her thrown out because there was no interpreter for the trial to go
ahead.
Jennifer
Sherlow was said to have shouted the "racially offensive remark" from
inside her home while Birgit Bahmani was in her garden.
But
the case against the 31-year-old of Weensland Park, Hawick, Roxburghshire, was
thrown out because the Crown had not ordered a German-speaking interpreter for
the trial.
Procurator
fiscal Graham Fraser had asked for the trial at Jedburgh Sheriff Court to be
adjourned to a new date to allow an interpreter to be present.
However,
this motion was opposed by defence lawyer Robert More who said Ms Sherlow was
anxious the matter was dealt with immediately due to health grounds.
He
also added that Ms Sherlow strenuously denied the allegation and pointed out
that Ms Bahmani was facing a charge of previously calling her a "Scottish
slut".
Mr
More said: "This allegation has been made to deflect attention from the
prosecution that the complainer faces. It would not be in the interests of
justice to proceed further."
Sheriff
Derrick McIntyre refused for the trial to be adjourned and when the fiscal said
he would not be leading evidence without the witness, the case against Ms
Sherlow was deserted.
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