Crime victim who called female police officer 'fatty' and 'useless' in emails is cleared by jury of sending offensive messages

A victim of crime, who was himself prosecuted by police for sending 'grossly offensive' emails in which he used four-letters words and called a female police constable 'fatty', has been cleared.

William Beswick, 50 was cleared of being offensive to PC Julia Acaster by a crown court jury in just 40 minutes.

Beswick branded the case a 'farce' and claimed that prosecuting him was a complete over-reaction and a waste of taxpayers' money - and that she should be more 'resilient' as a police officer of 20 years' service.

The Humberside Police officer's objections to the words were branded 'nonsense' and she was told that surely she had regularly heard far worse language at football matches and on rowdy Saturday nights.

Beswick, of Barrow-upon-Humber near Grimsby, pleaded not guilty to sending PC Acaster emails which were grossly offensive between March 4 and 30.

He was cleared by a jury of nine men and three women at Grimsby Crown Court after barely 40 minutes of deliberations.

The speedy decision to reject the officer's complaint came as no surprise to anyone in court, especially as some of the jury had been seen grinning and trying to suppress smiles during the case.

One court stalwart asked if it had really taken that long to reach a verdict and wondered if the jury had insisted on having a break and eating some sandwiches before returning to court.

Laura McBride, prosecuting, said that PC Acaster was asked to investigate claims from Beswick that he was the victim of harassment but he later became unhappy with the way the matter was progressing and blamed PC Acaster.

He sent what the prosecution claimed were abusive and grossly offensive emails calling her a 'fat fool' and a 'useless ****' as well as making veiled threats.

In one message, he asked her: 'Do you like being abused, fatty?'

The prosecution claimed that the purpose of the emails was to cause PC Acaster distress and anxiety but Beswick did not accept that they were grossly offensive.

Defence barrister Craig Lowe asked PC Acaster how long she had been in the police and whether she had ever had to attend football matches or disturbances in towns on Saturday nights when people were 'kicking off' when they were coming out of pubs.

She said she had been in the police for about 20 years and had experience of these situations.

After the jury's decision to clear him after only a short period of deliberation, Beswick told the jury: 'May God bless you all. Thank you very much.'

SOURCE