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| Aberdeen 'Helena Torry' mannequin election woman Renee Slater acquitted | Aberdeen 'Helena Torry' mannequin election woman Renee Slater acquitted |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An Aberdeen woman charged after a mannequin was entered as a candidate in last year's city council election has been acquitted. | An Aberdeen woman charged after a mannequin was entered as a candidate in last year's city council election has been acquitted. |
| Renee Slater was taken to court over the name Helena Torry being put forward to stand in the May election. | Renee Slater was taken to court over the name Helena Torry being put forward to stand in the May election. |
| She was charged under the Representation of the People Act 1983 and went on trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court this week. | She was charged under the Representation of the People Act 1983 and went on trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court this week. |
| A sheriff ruled there was no case to answer after two days of evidence. | A sheriff ruled there was no case to answer after two days of evidence. |
| Returning officer Crawford Langley had told the court he had taken nomination papers from the accused an hour before the close of nominations. | Returning officer Crawford Langley had told the court he had taken nomination papers from the accused an hour before the close of nominations. |
| Ms Slater was charged with adding a candidate she knew was in fact a mannequin. | Ms Slater was charged with adding a candidate she knew was in fact a mannequin. |
| The defence argued the charge could only apply to a candidate and not an agent. | |
| Speaking after the trial, Mr Langley said he believed the prosecution failed on a technicality. | |
| Ms Slater told BBC Scotland she had wanted to represent the voice of the silent majority in the Torry area of Aberdeen. | |
| Reunited with Helena | |
| Her defence lawyer, Gregor Kelly, said: "My client is grateful that this harrowing ordeal is now at an end and is pleased to have been vindicated by the court. | |
| "She told the police that she sought to inject humour into an austere process. | |
| "Ms Slater, who has worked tirelessly over the years in various community projects, did not seek to belittle or demean the electoral process and is glad that, on this occasion, common sense has prevailed." | |
| As for Helena Torry, the mannequin has been held in storage by Grampian Police and is due to be reunited with Ms Slater at a later date. |