Following on from yesterday’s report that Stephen and Suzanne Roper had withdrawn their private prosecution of Alton Towers over noise issues due to a change in park ownership, the circus act duo continues to throw out a barrel of laughs.
The Sentinel reports…
An application for court costs to be paid by Alton Towers after a couple were forced to withdraw legal proceedings against the company has been turned down.
Stephen and Suzanne Roper, who live in Farley near to the resort, claimed the theme park exceeded limits set out in a noise abatement order, enforced in October 2005 after the couple won a private prosecution.
They were bringing a case against the organisation which they believed managed the site, Tussauds Theme Parks Limited. But last week, the couple’s solicitor Richard Buxton confirmed the prosecution had been withdrawn.
In a statement he said the subsidiary company responsible for operating the park has changed as a result of a corporate reorganisation so it was no longer right to prosecute Tussauds.
Yesterday, an application was made at North Staffordshire Magistrates’ Court calling for the costs of the case to be covered by the tourist attraction, as the Ropers claimed it should have informed them earlier about the change of management. But Deputy District Judge Neale Thomas refused the application.
He said: “Any litigation involves the risk of costs. The question is, is the prosecution entitled to complain about the behaviour of the defence? Neither side has come out with any credit.
“The defence were unaware of the true state of the company they were representing.
“It seems ridiculously inept to me. But this was not a deliberate act. I am satisfied the defence solicitors were not negligent.”
Yesterday I said the Ropers were possibly the doziest people on the planet, today’s latest news pretty much confirms that. Who in the right mind would consider asking the defendant to pay the legal costs when it wasn’t them who opened up the case in the first place?!
Did the Ropers seriously think Alton Towers would pay the legal fees for a court case that was looking to prosecute the park?!
Join us tomorrow as the Ropers will have no doubt have another portion of codswallop ready.