THE Crown Office has had to delay its continued pursuit of a case against an MP cleared of kicking a pro-independence campaigner.
Labour MP Marie Rimmer saw the case against her dismissed by a sheriff because the word “Glasgow” was not included in court papers outlining the charge.
She been accused of assaulting Patricia McLeish on the day of the Scottish independence referendum at the entrance to Shettleston community centre, Amulree Street, then being used as a polling station, and kicking her on the body.
The 68-year-old, a former leader of St Helens Council in Merseyside, denied the charge and appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Monday for the trial.
The case started briefly before being halted when the prosecutor noticed that the word “Glasgow” was not included on the document known as a complaint outlining the charge.
Sheriff Brian Adair ruled that the case was dismissed due to the lack of location in the charge.
The Crown Office, which believes the case should not have been dismissed, said it intended to re-raise the case the following day to avoid any delays that may occur by going through an appeal process.
But the case was not called as it emerged papers needed to be served first before it could be brought back to court.
Crown Office sources said the papers would be served in the near future and court dates would be fixed in due course.
Ms Rimmer, who was elected as an MP in May after a lengthy political career, had been in Glasgow with Labour colleagues campaigning for a NO vote when the alleged incident happened.
The MP denied kicking Patricia McLeish, 51, in the shin at the entrance to the community centre on September 18.
The initial charge read: “On September 18, 2014 at the entrance to Shettleston community centre, Amulree Street, then being used as a polling station you did assault Patricia McLeish and did kick her on the body.”
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