Prosecutors dropped charges against a paedophile accused of attacking a prison guard.

Joshua de Banks, 23, had been due to stand trial at Oxford Crown Court next week accused of assaulting the officer on December 9, 2019.

READ MORE: Bungling thief mistakenly recorded his own confessions on phone calls to friends

The trial date was the third fixed by the court. James Onalaja, prosecuting, said: “The Crown are not in a position to proceed on May 23. The complainant in this matter is not able to attend on that date and indeed this matter dates back now to 2019.”

Offering no evidence, Mr Onalaja said the case had been reviewed and the Crown had decided it was no longer in the public interest to proceed.

De Banks, of Field Avenue, Oxford, is currently awaiting sentence for breaching a sexual harm prevention order imposed in 2019, when he was given a suspended sentence for grooming a teen boy online.

Read more from this author

This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @t_seaward