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Katie Price’s ex-boyfriend Kris Boyson has been cleared of threatening a police officer after mistaking him for paparazzi.
Boyson, of Haven Close, Istead Rise, denied the allegation following an incident in his street on October 11 last year.
The 31-year-old was charged with using threatening, abusive and insulting words or behaviour towards a police officer with intent to cause fear of violence.
He appeared at Medway Magistrates’ Court this morning for a trial which has dragged on over several months.
During a previous the hearing the court heard how police were called after a confrontation between Boyson with two photographers who were taking pictures of Price just a day after she drunkenly crashed her Range Rover.
The court was told Ms Price became “distressed” by the photographers taking pictures of her before pulling in front of their vehicle and blocking them from leaving.
The personal trainer allegedly approached them and threatened to smash the snappers' cameras over their head if they didn’t hand over their memory cards and any photos they took.
Press photographer Matthew Strake gave evidence during the trial and told magistrates he had given Boyson a “fake memory card” which had no photos on, before claiming he was fearful of his safety after an “agitated” Boyson confronted him and his colleague about why they were taking pictures.
Following the disagreement, which was caught on Strake’s dashcam and played to the court, PC Paul Blundell arrived at the scene in plain clothes, having been in the area already.
On arrival Boyson repeatedly said to him “who are you? Who are you? Have you got ID?”, before suggesting he was a “fake police officer”.
Prosecuting, Piers Rentell, claimed Boyson became “aggressive and threatening” to PC Blundell about who he really was and what he was doing, which resulted in PC Blundell pulling out his pepper spray and pushing Boyson.
He then allegedly said to the officer “I’m going to break you jaw”.
However, Boyson denied the allegations and claimed PC Blundell turned up at the scene, where he failed to show any ID and when asked what he was doing there told him he was a police man and he could “do whatever he wanted”.
PC Blundell and his colleague on the day PES Rachel Thompson gave evidence during the hearing.
PES Thompson recalled her colleague walking down the road towards where Boyson was before hearing a man's voice, who wasn't PC Blundell, saying something similar to "I'll knock you out, I'll lay you out". However, she said she couldn't remember exactly what was said, except it was threatening.
Similarly PC Blundell claimed he was walking down the street when he heard Boyson shout "grab that phone off him", as the defendant thought he was another photographer.
After confronting the defendnant to explain he was a plain clothed police officer he claims he became aggressive and "puffed his chest out".
"That did intimidate me and I did fear there would be violence." PC Blundell said.
But after a short adjournment today Boyson was cleared by magistrates.
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