Julia Flanagan secures acquittal for police officer accused of harassment.

Julia Flanagan successfully represented a police officer accused of intentional harassment.

The defendant was alleged to have harassed a member of the public by threatening to personally ensure that her son was jailed for drugs offences and by criticising her in public for smoking when wearing a Hijab.

The defendant said that many of her words had been misrepresented; that she had not caused harassment alarm or distress and had never had any intention to do so. She further raised the defence that her words had been reasonable.

The defence were able to gather background evidence which placed the event in a clearer context and instructed an expert Islamic Scholar to address the issue of whether the comment in respect of smoking while wearing a Hijab could be reasonable comment. The defence pursued relevant disclosure from the prosecution and the solicitors took statements from 14 defence witnesses.

At court, the defence were able to demonstrate in cross-examination that the complainant and eye- witness were unreliable in their account of events and it has held that no harassment, alarm or distress had been suffered and none had been intended.

The defendant was acquitted and granted a defence costs order.

Julia was privately instructed by Samantha Christien of Blackfords LLP.