A SHOPKEEPER has spoken of his relief that he is no longer facing jail for apprehending a teenager who he suspected of shoplifting a bunch of grapes.

Owais Dar, 26, chased the 15-year-old boy after he ran off from his convenience store, in Hilldrop Road, Nelson.

He thought he was doing the right thing when he drove the boy home and handed him straight over to his father.

But Mr Dar was arrested and charged with false imprison-ment after the youth claimed he had driven him around for 15 to 20 minutes.

He also alleged Mr Dar had slapped his face and threatened him in the car, but was said to have seemed more fright-ened of his father than the defendant when he arrived home.

A lawyer advised the Crown Prosecution Service that no further action should be taken.

But a senior police officer appealed against the decision and said Mr Dar’s conduct was ‘intolerable’ and the case should be tried in the public interest because of the disparity in ages.

Mr Dar was due to face trial on Wednesday after denying the charge.

The defendant, of Hilldrop Road, was bound over in the sum of £250, for 12 months, and the charge was left on file.

Speaking after the case, Mr Dar said: “To be honest I just think it’s ridiculous.

"This has been going on for ten months now and I’m just glad it’s all over.”

Burnley Crown Court heard the teenager, now 16, had been taken off a school roof about an hour before the incident by police, who confiscated a piece of wood he had been brandishing.

He now had a criminal conviction, and at the time had two cautions.

A main prosecution witness, a 15-year-old girl, had been serving a sentence in custody, but had been brought in to give evidence.

Mr Dar, who has no criminal convictions, said he had not been told immediately where the teenager had lived.

Judge Simon Newell told Mr Dar: “It would be your word against somebody who is not a person of impeccable character.”

He said it was better to call an ‘honourable draw’, and said: “It is not in the public interest to proceed.”

Prosecutor Ahmed Nadim said when police originally investigated and advice was sought from the CPS, a lawyer advised no further action be taken.

He said the CPS had considered the matter at length, ‘wrestling’ with the public interest issue and a decision was made on balance it was in the public interest to prosecute.

He said Mr Dar’s case was that he wasn’t told immediately where the alleged victim lived.

There was a bit of driving, but it wouldn't have taken 15 to 20 minutes.

Mr Nadim said the prosecution had sympathy for somebody in the defendant’s position, trying to run a business and suffering nuisance thefts.

But, he said: “He did, and ought not to have, take the law into his own hands.”

Kathryn Pierpoint, defending, said at the time he had run the shop with his father, who had since died.

Mr Dar’s brother-in-law was now in charge of the store.

The barrister added: “He was upset about this and he did what he thought was right.”