Amber Hobson represented a career foster carer with 12 years experience, accused of one count of common assault and a public order offence.
The Defendant was said to have been verbally abusive to a child with whom her son had fallen out and thereafter grabbed her to the throat. The case involved cross examination of 4 youth witnesses for the prosecution and lasted for one day.
The Magistrates found the case not proven against the Defendant on the basis of her credible evidence in relation to the common assault simply not taking place and accepted Miss Hobsons submission that the Defendant had acted in self defence of her child and property when it came to the public order matter.
They accepted the actions of the Defendant were proportionate and reasonable in the circumstances, accepting Miss Hobson’s submissions that the Defendant found herself perceiving a serious risk to her vulnerable son.