Real Housewives of Cheshire star Dawn Ward has been cleared of racially abusing two Jewish men after "too many glasses of wine," as well as possession of cocaine.
The 48-year-old reality star was accused of hurling abuse at brothers Jake and Sam Jacobs at London Euston station back in October 2019. The Jacob brothers were said to be asking customer services why trains were delayed when the reality star drunkenly approached them allegedly saying: "Why do you lot always complain".
Mrs Ward, who is married to ex-Premier League footballer Ashley Ward, was then claimed to have shouted "Jewish c***". She was also said to have referred to Samantha Eisner, one of their girlfriends, as a "little disease", the Manchester Evening News reports.
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Ward denied the charges and was acquitted by the jury of two counts of racially aggravated harassment and one count of possession of cocaine today (March 25). The reality star sobbed as the verdict was announced.
She said to the jury: "Thank you. Thank you so much, thank you from the bottom of my heart." During the trial at Inner London Crown Court, sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice, Mrs Ward denied she was racist and said she saw "people as people".
She tearfully told a courtroom she "doesn't see race," telling jurors she had "no idea" the two men accusing her of anti-Semitism were Jewish. She sobbed as she claimed online trolls have targeted her daughters in the wake of the court case.
Her barrister Lisa Judge suggested the group had made up the allegations for "publicity" and had been insulting Mrs Ward about her "Botox face and wealth". Giving evidence, Jake Jacobs responded: "I didn't know who she was. I can tell you Mrs Ward was very very drunk.
"I didn't see any Botox, I certainly didn't see any wealth. I don't even know what Botox does. I thought it was to do with wrinkles. How can Botox go wrong?"
During the defence case, Mrs Ward told jurors: "Jake Jacobs was raising his voice to the lady at customer service. I stupidly poked my nose in and said something along the lines of 'Bloody hell leave her alone it's not her fault, we are all in the same boat'. I should have just kept my nose out. Honestly I wouldn't have a clue what religion he was. It didn't even enter my mind. He was saying about my Botox face and throwing insults.
"He was referring to things about the show saying 'You think you are it'. He said 'What gives you the right to tell me what to do, who do you think you are? You are there on the show with your Botox face', and he mentioned my wealth."
Jake Jacobs also accused her of slapping him in the face with an "open palm" during the incident. But during her evidence, the reality star made a patting gesture to the bottom of her jaw to indicate how she had touched Jake Jacobs and said she told him: "At least I'm going home first class".
The court was also told a small packet of cocaine was found in a box of cigarettes in Ward's handbag but she denied knowing about the drugs and claims they were left over from a party at her house. She told jurors she had "no idea" there was cocaine in her cigarette packet - claiming the box had been put in her handbag by her housekeeper.
She said: "I do a lot of charity events at the house, a lot of parties throughout the year. When the parties have finished, when my housekeepers clean up they put all the cigarettes and stuff them in oven gloves. I would only ever have a cigarette if I was going to London.
"That's when I would possibly have a cigarette with a glass of wine. I actually didn't have one that day. When I was leaving my house I said can you chuck us a packet of cigarettes out the drawer."
Speaking outside court, Mrs Ward said she was "over the moon and relieved" at the verdicts. She said: "It's been three years of absolute hell. My husband has been a massive support. My legal team Lisa Judge and Mark Haslam have been incredible.
"I chose to bring it to the crown court because I was so frightened at the severity of the charge. I was very worried as it was such a serious allegation. I'm eternally grateful to the jury that after a week of hearing everything I felt they were so fair. We were so lucky to get a jury that thought I was telling the truth. I now want to go home and be with my children and get on with the rest of my life."
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