A JUDGE has directed that not guilty verdicts are recorded for a man who was accused of controlling his partner and twice assaulting her.

Gareth Stephen Warne, 34, had been due to face a trial at Carlisle Crown Court but the case was dropped after the prosecution offered no evidence.

The controlling and coercive behaviour allegation related to a period between January 2021 and August last year. The two actual bodily harm assault allegations related to incidents which were said to have happened in January 2021 and August last year.

At the judge’s direction, not guilty verdicts were entered for all three charges.

Warne, of Highroad Well Lane in Halifax, had always denied the charges, which related to alleged events in areas of Cumbria, including Whitehaven.