Olympian cleared of attack on ex

An Olympic showjumper accused with his partner of attacking his former groom and ex-girlfriend has been acquitted.

The jury in the trial of Ben Maher, 25, of Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, was invited to return a not guilty verdict due to insufficient evidence.

He was cleared of assaulting Megan Pugh at a pub near the All-England Jumping course at Hickstead, West Sussex.

Brighton Crown Court heard his partner, Kathleen Baker, 26, from Orpington, south London, was still on trial.

Both denied assault causing actual bodily harm to Miss Pugh at The Castle pub in July 2006.

The court was told that owing to inconsistencies in the evidence given by Miss Pugh and other witnesses, Mr Maher could not continue to be tried for the charge.

Acted as peacemaker

During earlier evidence, Miss Pugh had told jurors that Miss Baker had lashed out at her.

She alleged that Mr Maher also became involved in the assault, but evidence from other witnesses suggested he was attempting to act as peacemaker.

Mr Maher is ranked as the fifth top rider by the British Show Jumping Association and finished 20th in the individual jumping final in Beijing.

Jurors previously heard that Miss Pugh became involved with Mr Maher soon after she started to work as his groom in January 2004.

But she said they broke up in July 2005 and then started a new job, although they saw each other at equestrian events.

"I remember I was tugged from behind, and then Megan doing a sarcastic form of giggle as such, and then she punched me"
Kathleen Baker

Defence counsel suggested Miss Pugh became jealous of Mr Maher's new relationship, which began in the autumn of 2005, and began making nuisance telephone calls.

Miss Baker said Miss Pugh had attacked her, rather than the other way round.

She said she had been in a beer tent at Hickstead and heard either Miss Pugh or one of her friends make a snide remark.

Later in The Castle pub she said she decided to attempt to make peace with Miss Pugh.

"I wouldn't say I was necessarily the most polite. I would say I was pretty direct.

"I said to her something like 'can we sort this out, this is ridiculous'."

Threatening call

But she said then Miss Pugh struck her.

"I remember I was tugged from behind, and then Megan doing a sarcastic form of giggle as such, and then she punched me."

Miss Baker said Mr Maher rushed over and helped her away from Miss Pugh and her friends.

She told the court she had not seen any blood on Miss Pugh and any injuries she sustained would have only been from when she was pulled away by her friends.

An hour later, Mr Maher received a threatening call on his mobile phone from a man who said he was Miss Pugh's father, she said.

"He said he was going to burn down Ben's farm and was going to carve my face up so that I never work again."

The trial continues.

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