Waterfoot mum in ‘nightmare’ scene (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Waterfoot mum in ‘nightmare’ scene

10:30am Friday 31st August 2012 in News

A WOMAN said to have been harassed after her son was cleared of murder was involved in ‘nightmare’ trouble at a garage, a court heard.

Burnley magistrates were told how Deborah Fell, 48, another son Andrew Roche, 20, and his cousin Liam Roche, 27, were detained after police were flagged down and went to the BP garage in Bacup Road, Waterfoot, in the early hours.

The hearing was told Andrew Roche had set off a fire extinguisher and was arrested, Liam Roche was swearing, protesting his innocence.

He was also arrested and Deborah Fell interfered with her son's arrest and was also swearing. She was arrested too.

Prosecutor Alex Mann said: “Somebody at the garage described it as a nightmare because they were all there."

Fell, of Bridgefield Street, Hapton, Andrew Roche, of Market Street, Whitworth, and Liam Roche, of Burnley Road East, Waterfoot, admitted being drunk and disorderly.

Fell also pleaded guilty to obstructing or resisting police.

Fell was given a 12-month conditional discharge by the bench Liam Roche, who was in breach of a conditional discharge, received an 18-month conditional discharge and Andrew Roche got a 12-month conditional discharge.

Jeremy Coleman, for Fell, said her son had been a suspect in a murder matter and had been acquitted. She and her family had been harassed on the internet and in person in relation to the case.

Mr Coleman added: “On this particular night, somebody tried to run them over."

Mr Coleman said the incident at the garage got out of hand. Fell had thought her son was being harmed by the officers when he was being arrested. He was in a lot of pain and she reacted.