Ex-husband is cleared of assault on woman
A MAN accused of assaulting his exwife when she tried to take back their marriage certificate has been cleared following a trial.
Kirklees magistrates were told that the victim climbed out of the living room window to get away from Godson Osia during a row at his Paddock home.
The 28-year-old pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault by beating and his trial was held over two days at the Huddersfield court.
Magistrates were told that the victim’s ordeal began when Osia visited her at her Fenay Bridge home to collect some belongings.
In evidence given from behind a screen she said that he asked her to go outside with him so that they could discuss their failed relationship in private.
When she refused to do so she said that he grabbed her by her wrist and tried to pull her towards his car.
Later that evening she drove to the home she previously shared with Osia in Shires Hill to collect belongings, including her passport and marriage certificate.
She headed to the upstairs bedroom where she was confronted by her ex, the court was told.
In evidence she said to the court : “He (Osia) asked me why I was there and told me I couldn’t leave with the marriage certificate. I said I could but he said I wouldn’t be leaving with it.
“He then came towards me and pushed me to the upper back. I lost my balance and landed on the bed.
“I said ‘don’t put your hands on me’. I got up but he came towards me and pushed me again and I went into a wall.”
The complainant told the court that Osia blocked the door with his body to prevent her from leaving and threatened her brother that if he opened it he would “end up in the ICU”.
A male friend of the victim who had been waiting outside then entered and attempted to get Osia to leave the room so that they could talk, magistrates were told.
His ex-wife said: “I went towards the gap in the door and he pushed me again into a material wardrobe and it fell on me.
“We said ‘police have been called and you need to let us leave’ but he refused.
“I went into the living room, jumped out of the window and went towards my car. Then my ex came charging towards me and I said ‘don’t come near me’.
“I got to the wall which was a dead end and he wrestled me to the ground. He forcibly took the documents from my hand.”
She told magistrates that at that point her brother and friend rushed to her aid, restraining him until police arrived and arrested him.
But magistrates cleared found Osia not guilty to both charges.
Chairwoman Anthea Ainley said: “There was clearly confusion and a lot of pushing and shoving.
“It was a tense and heated situation focused on the marriage certificate. But the elaboration (of what the witnesses said) undermines the evidence given and there are inconsistences.
“We conclude that there is no case to answer.”