Charges over fracas in ring are dropped.

Byline: Graham Green

THE racecourse bookmaker arrested for allegedly punching a female racegoer in the face during a meeting at Uttoxeter in September, has this week learned he will not be charged with any offence after Staffordshire police closed its file on the case, writes Graham Green.

Moreover, Leo Oppenheim, who bets under the name of Gus Oppenheim, has decided not to press charges against his alleged assailant "in the interests of public relations between bookmakers and punters".

Oppenheim's floorman, Tony Purcell, 64, suffered a black eye and cut nose during the same incident, which also involved the woman's boyfriend, who was among a group of 30 on a pub outing from the Stoke-on-Trent area.

Police and Uttoxeter officials are now reviewing security and policing procedures following the fracas, which Oppenheim, 59, claims was fuelled by alcohol.

A police spokesman said: "The inquiry has now finished and, as a result, none of the

people are being charged.

"All the parties were making complaints against each other and, ultimately, once all the statements had been taken, everybody decided they didn't want to take any further action."

Oppenheim, who strenuously denied punching the woman, said yesterday: "They [the

police] gave me the option of pressing charges against the woman, and gave my staff the option of pressing charges against the guy, but I decided not to take it any further."

Oppenheim, who has also dropped the idea of suing for wrongful arrest, added: "Fortunately, I had an independent witness who saw the whole thing, but it is good to be able to put the whole unpleasant episode behind me."