NO ONE was ever charged with having caused a 12-hour armed siege that brought terror to a North Yorkshire caravan park, the Evening Press has learned.

Violent offender Kevin Beardsell, 40, was arrested at Ponderosa Caravan Park, Sutton-on-the-Forest, after a tense overnight stand-off with officers last year.

He has just begun a 15-month jail term after admitting earlier this week that he threatened to slit a friend's throat during an unrelated drink-fuelled row three months earlier.

But the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has revealed that Beardsell, who has previous convictions for manslaughter and air rage, was not formally charged for his role in the siege in January 2003.

However, he was arrested after the incident and charged with witness intimidation and a breach of bail conditions, for which he was later dealt with at court.

Meanwhile, a resident of the caravan park has blamed North Yorkshire Police for causing a row over when Beardsell could eat his supper escalate into a terrifying armed incident.

She said: "He was supposed to give a statement in the daytime to the police. They came to pick him up in the evening and he said it was too late, and he would come in the morning after he had had his supper.

"He sat in his caravan and had supper and in the meantime 50 officers arrived outside with guns.

"It was absolutely ridiculous. Somebody had said they thought he might have a shotgun in the caravan." Up to ten people were evacuated from the park and taken to a community centre during the stand-off which involved up to 30 officers, ten of whom were armed.

Beardsell barricaded himself inside his caravan with another man - sparking fears that he may be holding him hostage - and gave himself up the next morning.

After his arrest, police said they found a firearm in his home, but neighbours said it was pieces of a broken shotgun.

The caravan park resident said: "He had been such a nice fella. We knew there was something behind him afterwards. He was nicely spoken and seemed to have no harm in him.

"People were afraid because they thought we were under siege. People thought that we were harbouring a lot of gangsters. But we don't.

"If we have got someone who is wrong the owners can kick them off because it's private property."

A spokeswoman for York CPS said solicitors advised the police on whether to charge Beardsell in connection with the siege, but a decision was taken not to. She said she was unable to comment on what the reasons for that decision were.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said officers had to provide appropriate resources for any given operation. "If firearms are thought to be involved, then armed police will be brought in," he said. He could not comment on the reasons why no one was charged with causing the siege.

James Whatnell, who runs the caravan park with his family, was not available for comment.

Updated: 10:34 Friday, August 06, 2004