A councillor and his wife have had harassment charges against them dismissed.

Nigel and Sheila Jacklin, of Bexhill, were accused of harassing a neighbour by staring into their property and loitering on the edge of their land.

Mrs Jacklin was also accused of sticking her fingers up at the property and chanting.

But, after a prosecution application to delay the trial was denied, no evidence was offered against the pair and the case was thrown out.

Mr and Mrs Jacklin, 62 and 61, had charges of harassment without violence dismissed at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

Beverley Cherrill, defending the couple, told the court that Mrs Jacklin “sticking her fingers up” towards the property in Norman’s Bay, Bexhill, was in fact a form of prayer.

She told the court: “This case has been extremely stressful for the Jacklins.

“They had really had enough of it. These allegations have caused a great deal of mental harm.”

Prosecuting solicitor Piers Restell formally offered no evidence in the case which related to alleged incidents from July 2023.

Mrs Jacklin, supported by her family, sobbed in the dock as the case was dismissed.

Mr Jacklin represents St Mark’s Ward in Bexhill Town Council and was elected in May 2023.

He also stood as a candidate in the general election under the banner of the Independent Network but received just 0.4 per cent of the vote.