It should have been a straightforward trip to court for Wednesfield detective Mark Davis. But he ended up red faced - after a defendant’s mum tried to knock him off his feet.
Her actions, as Dc Davis was walking towards the prosecutor to help with details of the case against her 18-year-old son, left Colette Simpson in hot water with the magistrate. She escaped her own trip to the cells for contempt of court, but was given dressing down after sticking her foot out in a bid to trip the unsuspecting detective over.
The bizarre series of events were played out during an appearance by Simpson’s son Curtis, who was up before Wolverhampton Magistrates Court on drugs charges.
He and his co-accused Lee Highfield, 20, were in the dock following raids on homes in Wolverhampton last July in which police found a loaded 9mm pistol, £36,000 in cash, and crack cocaine and heroin worth several thousand pounds.
Prosecutor Mr Graham Shackleton objected to a bail application by the men’s solicitor and called on Dc Davis, who was sat a few rows behind Ms Simpson in the public gallery, to support his bid.
As Dc Davis approached the prosecutor’s bench, Mrs Simpson stuck her leg out. He managed to stay upright and walked a few more paces to sit next to the prosecutor.Chairman of the bench Mr David Underhill said: “We have a higher viewpoint than other people in court and can see things that aren’t necessarily seen by others.”
Addressing Mr Shackleton, he said: “Can you ask the officer if any obstacle was placed in the way of him when he came to sit next to you.”
Dc Davis whispered to Mr Shackleton, who then told the court: “He says Mrs Simpson tried to trip him up.” Mrs Simpson strongly denied the claim and said she had been standing up.
Mr Underhill said the court would not tolerate such behaviour and the bench retired to discuss the case. During the break, Mrs Simpson strongly denied the claim and said she had simply been standing up.
Magistrates returned but made no further mention of the incident.
Curtis Simpson, of Wordsworth Road, Low Hill and Highfield, of Emerson Grove, Low Hill, were remanded in custody.
By Crime Correspondent Mike Woods
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