Two women accused of a disability hate crime while onboard a bus have had the case against them dropped.
As previously reported on Chroniclelive, Leah Reay and Hayley Enright were alleged to have ridiculed a hearing-impaired passenger, who they didn't know, and called her derogatory names during the journey in Newcastle.
Miss Reay, now 20, of Market Street, in Dudley, near Cramlington, and Miss Enright, now 21, of Windslow Place, in Walker, appeared at North Tyneside Magistrates' Court last year.
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The pair both plead not guilty to a public order offence and the case was listed for trial in April this year.
However, the Crown Prosecution Service has since discontinued with the charge against them.
Both women were initially accused of targeting a hearing-impaired woman on a bus in Newcastle on December 3 2019.
Speaking at their first court appearance, prosecutor, Claire Irving, said: "This is a jointly-charged disability hate crime towards a hearing-impaired lady on a bus.
"Both defendants were allegedly giggling and calling her names."
Adrian Ions, defending both women, said they denied the charge and the case was listed for trial on April 6 2020.
However, just a day later, the CPS decided to drop the charges.
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