A BUILDER accused of stealing from two recently widowed women should never have been brought to court, according to his solicitor.

Graham Bawden, 48, of Kingsway Park, Kingsbridge, was cleared of stealing from Brenda Williams and Sylvia Johns, at Torquay Magistrates Court last Friday.

A committee member at the Royal British Legion Mill Club, Mr Bawden stood trial for stealing items including a large quantity of firewood, a carpentry rule, a quantity of blue tarpaulin, a silver plated teapot, a copper Johnny Walker plate and an unknown quantity of loose change from the club's former cook Mrs Williams when he house-sat for her between December 2012 and January this year.

He was also accused of stealing a fishing reel worth £100 from his landlady and fellow Mill Club member Mrs Johns – a charge which was later dropped after no evidence was offered.

But defence solicitor Nigel Butts, from Windeatts, said after the trial that 'the whole case was based on circumstances and innuendo'.

Summing up during the trial, Mr Butts told the court that none of the items allegedly stolen from Mrs Williams' East Allington home had been found in either Mr Bawden's room at Mrs Johns' house or in his van.

Magistrates took just 10 minutes to return a not guilty verdict on both charges.

Mr Butts said: 'I was involved in this case right from the start when Mr Bawden was initially interviewed at the police station and I was very surprised indeed when I heard that he had received a summons.

'There was no direct or real evidence against him at all and the whole case was based on circumstances and innuendo.

'In this sense, I do indeed find it surprising and disappointing that a man in his late 40s should have such damaging allegations made about him – particularly in circumstances where he lives in a tight-knit community and the allegations have been outstanding for the best part of a year.

'It is very noteworthy indeed that the magistrates were able to adjudicate on this case extremely quickly given the absence of any direct evidence.

'I do not know what the cost of bringing this case has been to the taxpayer but I have to say that there are better ways to spend public money in the present economic climate.'

Giving evidence during the trial, Mrs Williams, 67, told the court she went to stay with her daughter in London between December 22 and January 3 and asked Mr Bawden, who had been doing some work at her house, to look after her home and two Jack Russell terriers while she was away.

She returned to East Allington for a few days and then went on holiday to the Dominican Republic on January 9 and did not return home until January 26, again leaving Mr Bawden to house-sit and look after the dogs.

Mrs Williams said that during the few days she had returned to East Allington, she had spent much of the time in bed as she was suffering from bronchitis and had not noticed anything missing until after she had returned from her holiday.

The Gazette contacted the Crown Prosecution Service for a response to Mr Butt's comments but, at the time of going to press yesterday, the CPS had not replied.