A POLISH man facing assault allegations returned to the UK to learn that the charges are no longer being pursued by the prosecution.
Seasonal worker Zdzislav Bakowski was accused of assaulting a man and making a racially aggravated slur in doing so, referring to his victim as, “an English b*****d.”
He was in the UK working for a marquee hire company and was alleged to have carried out the assault at a celebration to mark the end of the season, on September 30.
Mr Bakowski, who was living at a temporary address in Wolsingham, was then due to have returned to Poland.
But, due to the incident, he appeared at Durham Crown Court accused of racially aggravated assault and assault causing actual bodily harm.
The defendant, 52, of previous good character, denied both charges and the case was adjourned for a trial scheduled to start at the court on January 24.
Judge Christopher Prince granted bail pending the trial, allowing Mr Bakowski to return to Poland.
But, at a ‘mention’ hearing at the court yesterday, attended by the defendant backed by a Polish interpreter, prosecutor Phillip Morley said, following a “careful review” of the case, The Crown would now offer ‘no evidence’ on both counts.
Judge Jonathan Carroll, therefore, returned formal not guilty verdicts, allowing the defendant to leave with his good name intact.
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