Case against sausage thrower dropped

MANCHESTER, England, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Authorities in England are expected to drop their costly case against a 12-year-old boy accused of assaulting an elderly man with a cocktail sausage.

The case, in which prosecutors allege the boy threw a tiny pork sausage at a neighbor in the Wythenshawe district of Manchester, has reportedly cost more than $8,000, the Daily Mail reported Tuesday.

His mother, who said a "notice of discontinuation" has been issued, lashed out at prosecutors for making her son's life a "living nightmare" since they brought charges against him.

"It was absolutely ludicrous to bring him before the court for that. My boy is in bits," she said. "Every night before he had to go to court he couldn't sleep. He was thinking somebody was going to come and take him off to prison."

The case has been tried five times, the newspaper reported.

Dismissing the case last month, Judge Paul Richardson said the case is wasting time and money.

"There is a great difference between what is unacceptable and what should bring a 12-year-old boy to court," he said.