A MAN accused of threatening to kill the daughter of his partner has been cleared of harassment without violence by Skipton Magistrates.

Harry Barker, 63, described in court on Tuesday as 'not everyone's cup of tea' was accused of threatening the daughter of his partner, Carol Mason, by phone, of swerving his motor home at her car in Skipton and of going to her home uninvited.

The woman, talking behind screens so she would not have to face him, said Mr Barker had ruined both her and her family's lives.

She said a panic alarm had been fitted in her house in case he turned up, and she also carried an alarm around with her.

"He has ruined my whole life. It's impacted on my family life. I am a nervous wreck and he is fully aware of what he is doing."

She said he had described her as 'fat' as 'an amateur', of repeatedly threatening to kill her, and 'not big enough to play his games' and on the occasion he had swerved his vehicle towards her, had drawn his hand across his neck.

She told the court she loved her mother, but that Mr Barker controlled her.

Mr Barker, of Greatwood Avenue, who denied harassment without violence between December 21 last year and April 6 this year, said nothing that the woman claimed had happened and that it was all 'fabrication'.

He denied having any problem with the woman, but that she wanted her mother for herself. He described Mrs Mason as a 'diamond' and how they were never apart - describing their relationship as like 'Laurel and Hardy'.

His partner, Carol Mason told the court she had last spoken to her daughter three or four months ago and that she had not liked her being with Mr Barker 'because of his reputation'.

"I am not frightened of Harry. I don't feel threatened or intimidated, we are happy together," she said.

Mrs Mason denied seeing Mr Barker swerve the motorhome towards her daughter and claimed she had never heard him be aggressive to anyone.

John Mewies, for Mr Barker, said there was nothing to corroborate what the complainant had said, no records of phone calls and no real evidence.

"Harry Barker is what he is. He is not everyone's cup of tea, I suspect you would not want invite him around for a cup of tea," Mr Mewies told the bench. He said Mr Barker had offered to show police CCTV footage and that he had nothing to gain from threatening the daughter of his partner.

Magistrates said the complainant had been clear and incisive in giving her evidence but that the Crown Prosecution Service had failed to prove the case and found Mr Barker not guilty.