McCartney found not guilty

Kahnee · February 24, 2006

From PA:

The trial of the brother of Sir Paul McCartney, accused of groping a teenage waitress, collapsed today after a judge ruled the case was an ?unfortunate misunderstanding? which should never have gone to court.

Mike McCartney, 62, was charged with sexually assaulting the 16-year-old schoolgirl at a family party at a pub in Wirral, Merseyside, in September 2004.

The photographer and former member of 1960s band The Scaffold, who appeared at Chester Crown Court under his real name Peter, had been accused of briefly touching the girl?s bottom over her trousers as he asked for some more prawns from the buffet.

He denied the allegation and said he only placed his hand on her back in a ?fatherly gesture? of thanks.

Judge Elgan Edwards, the Recorder of Chester, threw the case out after three days, ruling the prosecution had failed to prove the incident was sexual in nature.

He directed the jury to find McCartney not guilty. Some jury members nodded their heads in agreement as Judge Edwards made his ruling.

The judge said: ?This defendant has not been acquitted on a technicality, he leaves the court without a stain on his character. This case was a misunderstanding from the word go and should never have been prosecuted.?

matty · February 24, 2006

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