Witness retracts statement
The case against a Laxey man accused of strangling a dog has collapsed after the main prosecution witness retracted their evidence.
Forty-six-year-old Klaudiusz Maria Grzesiak, of the Ballacannell Estate, appeared before High Bailiff Jayne Hughes at Douglas courthouse.
At an earlier hearing, he’d denied causing unnecessary suffering to a red cocker spaniel and damaging property on 18 November.
But just days before a pre-trial review hearing on Christmas Eve, his wife retracted a statement she’d made to police.
Prosecution advocate Rebecca Cubbon said by law she was prevented from compelling Mrs Grzesiak to give evidence against her husband.
She said under the circumstances, all the prosecution could do was offer no evidence on both counts.
Mrs Hughes told Mr Grzesiak no further action would be taken against him, and formally dismissed the charges.
She also said the prosecution wasn’t to blame for the trial’s collapse, and didn’t order defence costs to be paid.
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