LONDON, July 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --
The wife of a billionaire entrepreneur has had a criminal damage case against her dropped due to lack of evidence.
Stephanie Thapar, wife of Indian-born engineering entrepreneur Gautam Thapar, was alleged to have keyed her neighbour's £120,000 Bentley near her Knightsbridge home causing £4,000 of criminal damage.
Mrs Thapar, a mother of four, always completely denied the allegation and was due to go on trial at the City of London's Magistrates' Court today, but instead the case was discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service just hours prior to start of the trial.
The CPS stated: "The reason for the decision is that there is not enough evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction and the prosecution is not needed in the public interest."
Mrs Thapar was arrested on 22nd January 2015 and taken into police custody for questioning where she totally denied the allegations.
When the prosecution proceeded with the allegation, Mrs Thapar instructed Blackfords LLP to defend her. Blackfords LLP is recognised and acknowledged as the leading firm of defence solicitors in the UK and has a specialist team dealing with very high net worth individuals.
Blackfords' partner Gary Bloxsome led the defence team and instructed Jeremy Dein QC as the advocate.
On today's CPS decision, Mr Bloxsome said: "My client was totally innocent of this allegation. She had the total support of her husband, family and many prominent character witnesses.
"This case should never have proceeded. My client suffered false allegations and it has been a very distressing seven months for the Thapar family, who are now very relieved this nightmare has come to an end."
Mrs Thapar added: "I am tremendously relieved that a cloud which has darkened my own and my family's professional and personal life has now begun to lift. I am very grateful for the support I have received and to have had such a great legal team surrounding and defending me all the way along."
