A York nurse has been acquitted of harassing an older woman by two incidents involving cars in and around the city.

Siobhan Humphries told Teesside magistrates she was at work in Cleckheaton when Margaret Elmer, the mother of her ex-partner, was on the York Outer Ring Road during the evening rush hour on December 8, 2021.

The nurse produced evidence that she was logged into her office desktop at the time, which the prosecution disputed.

Both Mrs Elmer and her passenger told the court they were terrified by the actions of a BMW on the A64 but did not see who was driving it. 

Teesside magistrates said there was therefore insufficient evidence for them to be sure that Ms Humphries was the driver.

They then acquitted her on the charge of harassment on the grounds the offence could only be committed if she was involved in more than one incident.

They made no finding about the second incident in the charge, on December 16, 2021.

Ms Humphries, 36, of Summerfield Road, Woodthorpe, had denied the charge.

When she gave evidence, Ms Humphries claimed that the Elmer family  had followed her in a car on Gladstone Street in Acomb on December 16.  She denied following them. 

She claimed she had “panicked”. “I was very anxious about the situation,” she alleged. As they turned into Milner Street, the Elmers’ car stopped behind her car and she had decided to try and let it pass her.

She denied she repeatedly tried to obstruct the other car and claimed Jonathan Elmer, who was driving the other car, was swearing at her.

She alleged she had got out of her car and asked him why he was following her.

She claimed she took photos of the Elmers' car in Milner Street and later the same evening outside Acomb Police Station as evidence. She denied she did so to intimidate members of the Elmer family.

She claimed Mr Elmer opened the door and then shut it on her arm. Mr Elmer had denied this.

Teesside magistrates heard a recording of a 999 call made by Ms Humphries. On it the police operator can be heard asking if the caller can hear them and not getting a reply. Then there is a scream.

Ms Humphries alleged this was her screaming when her arm was trapped.

Prosecutor Anne Mitchell alleged this was not the case and that Ms Humphries had staged the scream.

“You are insinuating I am a liar, and I am not that type of person,” Ms Humphries replied.

In the call, Ms Humphries is heard saying her arm is hurting and making allegations about Margaret and Jonathan Elmer.

She denied that she had followed the Elmers to Acomb Police Station, claiming she had waited in Milner Street after the Elmers drove off before going to the police station.

The magistrates saw CCTV of the two cars outside Severus Social Club and Acomb Police Station that the prosecution alleged supported its case.

Kevin Blount, defending, alleged in his closing speech that none of the Elmer family’s accounts or that of Ms Humphries was identical to the CCTV.

The Elmer family had denied following Ms Humphries when they gave evidence.