Formal ‘not guilty’ verdicts recorded for accused Darlington man

Scott Brassell faced a trial listed for up to three days at Durham Crown Court this week.

The 44-year-old defendant, of James Court, previously denied charges of unlawful wounding of a man and the alternative of wounding with intent.

He also denied making knife threats to the man and a woman, in Porter Close, Newton Aycliffe, on the same day, Wednesday June 5, 2024.

Formal ‘not guilty’ verdicts recorded at Durham Crown Court in case of Darlington man accused of wounding and knife threat charges (Image: The Northern Echo)

But when the case was called into court, Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said the Crown’s only witness failed to attend court as far back as March, last year.

He said the last time the witness was seen was in April last year when he made a retraction statement relating to the original allegation, after which contact was lost, as the Crown only has an old address.

Mr Dodds said the Crown do not now know where the witness is and so the case has been reviewed.

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He added that he has now been instructed to offer “no evidence” on all three counts.

Judge Nathan Adams, therefore, recorded formal “not guilty” verdicts on each of the three charges.

He told the defendant: “The Crown is not in a position to bring evidence and, so, not guilty verdicts will be recorded in this matter.”