A TT visitor accused of impersonating a healthcare professional at a crash scene has been acquitted.

James Steven England, aged 53, from Bradford, had pleaded not guilty to two counts of the offence and a trial had been taking place this week.

But this afternoon (Thursday) Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes ruled that there was no case to answer and acquitted Mr England.

Mrs Hughes said that the decision was in no way a criticism of the police or prosecution as the incident had to be investigated.

The Deputy High Bailiff said that when a course car collided with TT rider Steve Mercer at Ballacrye on May 30, the only direct evidence that Mr England had presented himself as a paramedic was from the driver of the course car, Shaun Counsell.

Mr Counsell told the court that Mr England said he was a paramedic but the Bradford man denied saying this.

Mrs Hughes said that, although the driver had said he was 110% sure of what had been said, it was possible that he had misheard, bearing in mind he was tending to the injured rider at the time.

She added that it would be expected someone who was intending to impersonate a paramedic to be rushing to the scene but no-one had claimed Mr England did anything inappropriate.

Mrs Hughes told Mr England that his behaviour in turning up in a green uniform, despite only being a marshal was ’totally inappropriate’, but said that there was no case to answer that he had purported to be a paramedic or a healthcare professional.