Charges dropped in ex Arab chief assault case

A STUDENT accused of assaulting former Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson has had the charge against him dropped.

Christopher Brash, 24, was accused of pushing Mr Thompson to the ground after a derby match against Dundee at Dens Park last year.

At t he time Mr Thompson believed Mr Brash had been invading his privacy by filming him on his mobile phone.

His trial was due to start today but last night prosecutors said there was not enough evidence to proceed against student teacher Mr Brash, who had denied the assault.

Mr Brash was accused of repeatedly pushing Mr Thompson, causing him to fall to the floor in a hospitality area on August 9 last year.

Mr Thompson was uninjured and it is understood was reluctant to press charges, however police attended and sent a report to the procurator fiscal’s office.

A spokesman for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: “After careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case, including the available admissible evidence, the procurator fiscal decided there should be no proceedings taken at this time. The Crown reserves the right to proceed in t he f uture should f urther evidence become available.”

Today, Mr Brash’s solicitor advocate Jim Laverty criticised the police investigation.

He said: “Mr Thompson’s robust act when he thought Mr Brash was breaching his privacy by secretly filming him was dealt with lawfully by Mr Brash and this finally appears to be accepted.

“Had Police Service of Scotland competently investigated the events of that night no criminal proceedings would ever have been taken.

“Had our client’s mobile phone been interrogated by police Mr Thompson’s mistaken belief that Mr Brash was filming him would have been immediately established as wrong.

“Instead Mr Brash has had seven months of a criminal allegation against him over a simple misunderstanding: an allegation with serious consequences for his future career.

“Mr Brash is certain that had the misunderstanding been clarified on the August 9 these criminal proceedings would have been totally unnecessary.”

The case initially called at the sheriff court last year where Mr Laverty said the trial was potentially a lengthy one with five or six defence witnesses along with video evidence of the events.

Mr Brash will now be free to pursue his ambition of becoming a primary school teacher.

Former Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson was said to be reluctant to press charges.