A man alleged to have stolen thousands of pounds from the Bridge Garage, Marlborough, walked free from Swindon Crown Court on Monday after the Crown dropped a theft charge against him.
Hassan Ibrahim, 40, of Drayton Walk, Walcot, Swindon, had pleaded not guilty to a single count of theft. But Colin Meeke, prosecuting, revealed that the case could not go ahead because the key witness, the garage’s owner at the time of the alleged offence, Zubair Dean, had emigrated to Thailand.
“Numerous attempts to contact him have been made without success,” he told Judge Douglas Field. “Contact has been made with his son.”
“Mr Dean may be willing to give evidence from Bangkok, which is not unreasonable, but the date of trial is inconvenient as his wife is due to give birth.”
“We have tried to get in contact with him but have not established that Mr Dean will attend to give evidence in this trial. It is not a case where his statement can be read. It is not a case where the Crown will proceed further.”
Mr Ibrahim was alleged he have stolen thousands of pounds from the service station where he worked between the beginning of November 2011 and Wednesday April 11 last year, but no evidence was offered against him.
The judge entered a formal not guilty verdict and the accused walked free from the court.
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