[A] MAN who denies stealing cash from car park machines at a Lake District forest has been told he will not face a re-trial on the allegation.
Harvey William Davidson was charged with the theft of £4,239.40 from the Forestry Commission. This was alleged to have been stolen from three separate machines at Whinlatter Forest between April 9 and June 10 in 2014.
Mr Davidson, a 30-year-old man of good character, had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was due to have gone on trial in front of a jury this week.
But at Carlisle Crown Court today (TUES) prosecutor Nigel Booth, addressing Judge Tony Lancaster, said his instructions “were not to proceed with this case to trial”. Instead Mr Booth invited the judge to consider laying the matter on file.
After submissions from defence lawyer Philip Andrews, Judge Lancaster agreed to take that course of action.
The judge told Mr Davidson, of Portland Square, Workington: “It is not to be proceeded with without my leave, or the leave of the Court of Appeal.
“In effect, for your own purposes, that brings an end to the proceedings.”
In February this year, after a trial at the crown court, Mr Davidson was acquitted by a jury of two alleged thefts from car park machines at Grizedale Forest in the Lakes.
Jurors were discharged after failing to reach a verdict on the Whinlatter allegation.
