THE Crown Prosecution Service is standing by its decision to prosecute a mum who hanged herself three days before she was due to appear in court.

As the Journal previously reported, Sarah Jane Hankins, 47, was charged with assaulting her father-in-law, 81-year-old Geoffrey Hankins.

But many - including her husband, her boss and her lawyers - believe the charges should have been dropped, as she was acting in self defence.

Today the CPS defended its decision to take Mrs Hankins to court - despite strong criticism from solicitor Richard Griffiths, who described the decision as a "failure to take responsibility and to stand up when there is overwhelming evidence that it is not in the public interest to continue with a prosecution".

A CPS spokesman said: “We offer our sincere condolences to Sarah Hankins’ family and friends.

“As in all cases, the CPS reviewed the evidence to determine whether there was sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction, and if a prosecution was in the public interest.

"Upon careful review, it was decided that the Full Code Test of the Code for Crown Prosecutors was met.”

Read the previous report here.