A BROMSGROVE man accused of threatening his former lover has been cleared by Redditch magistrates.

Stewart Sangwin faced a charge of using threatening words or behaviour against his ex, Billie Pullen, during an incident which took place on Grafton Crescent in October 2019.

Mr Sangwin, aged 52, of Austin Road, was accused of moving his hand across his throat as Ms Pullen looked on out of a window and also calling her a slag.

He denied the allegeations and said he was in fact pulling up a zip on his hoodie and the words were just banter with a friend of his grandson.

During his trial magistrates heard evidence from his partner Catherine Bradley, a former friend of Ms Pullen.

She told the court she had been in a relationship with Mr Sangwin for 20 years but they split up and he became involved with her friend and neighbour Ms Pullen.

The affair came to an end and Mr Sangwin returned to Ms Bradley, who had him back as long as he agreed to stay away from Ms Pullen.

In his final submission, prosecutor Paul O'Keefe dismissed Mr Sangwin's explanation of the incident as "ridiculous" however Ian Paterson for the defendant attacked the credibility of the victim's evidence.

He said: "She made numerous allegations in the witness box about various things she says have been investigated by police but there is nothing.

"She claims he has a vendetta but there is nothing to support what she says."

Magistrates' chairman Brent Robinson agreed, saying that there was no corroboration to the claims and the case had not been proved.

During the same hearing Mr Sangwin was fined £100 and ordered to pay a £32 victim surcharge, he had previously pleaded guilty to possession of a class B drug.