CARDIFF, Wales (Reuters)
An innocent man was locked up
by mistake when a juror in a Welsh court coughed as
the verdict
was being read out.
As the foreman of the jury at Cardiff Crown Court delivered a
``not guilty'' verdict on Alan Rashid, charged with making
a threat to kill, another juror cleared his throat and the noise
drowned out the word ``not.''
The judge thought the jury had found Rashid guilty and
sentenced him to two years in prison, according to news
reports Friday.
Rashid was taken to the cells and would have been none the
wiser if a juror had not asked why he was being jailed
after having
been found not guilty.
Officials realized a mistake had been made and a confused
Rashid was led back into court and told he was free to
go.
Court manager Nicholas Williamson said: ``It was a very
bizarre situation and I have never heard of it happening
before.
Mr Rashid was a very relieved man when the judge explained
what had happened.''
I smell like a hippy in this outfit......
