Boater trial thrown out

BOATER David Watson a liveaboard on his narrowboat on the Oxford Canal was accused of assaulting two men, but after one failed to show in Court the other refused to testify.

As the prosecution could not explain why witness Rhys Ballard had not turned up and Terry Smith, was not prepared to testify on his own, the trial against the boater was thrown out, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Assaulting two men

Boater David Watson was alleged to have hit someone with a piece of wood near Osney Bridge on the canal where he moors his boat Chivori, and was at Oxford Magistrates' Court accused of assaulting two men.

It was alleged that in April the two were discussing David Watson when he came to them in a 'bullying manner'. He was alleged to have picked up a piece of wood from his boat, shouted "come on, then!" and assaulted the two.