Mother-of-two, 47, hanged herself three days before she was due in court for allegedly slapping her father-in-law in a trial 'that should never have gone ahead'

A mother-of-two was found hanged three days before she was due to appear in court for allegedly assaulting her father-in-law in a trial that 'should never have gone ahead', according to her family.

Sarah Jane Hankins, 47, was charged with assault by beating over the alleged attack on her father-in-law, Geoffrey Hankins, 81, and was haunted by 'what people would think of her' if she was found guilty.

Her trial was then delayed, and the school cook from Bulford, Wiltshire, hanged herself on Monday last week, three days before the hearing was set to take place at Salisbury Magistrates' Court on November 19. 

Mrs Hankins's husband Gary, 54, has slammed the Crown Prosecution Service, describing it as 'a shambles', while her legal team has also criticised the decision to drag her into court and claimed evidence submitted in her defence was ignored.

'It got postponed and she just couldn't deal with it,' said Mr Hankins. 'I found notes from her in her diary that said if she was found guilty what would people think of her.

'It should never have gone to court, she should never have been prosecuted.

'She had seen lots of things at work but she was just a beautiful person. I think the CPS are a shambles, they did not do their job properly.

'When she was charged it was like they didn't even know what they were talking about.'

He described Mrs Hankins, who worked at Grateley House School near Andover, which helps children with autism and Asperger's, as a 'loving, caring person'.

'I will miss her forever,' he said. 'It is just a tragedy.'

Mrs Hankins was charged with the assault by beating of father-in-law Geoffrey Hankins, 81, in their home town of Salisbury, Wiltshire on March 28.

Geoffrey Hankins, who described her death as 'terrible', says he did not press charges against his son's wife, although he supported the CPS decision to prosecute.

'She was very nice,' he said. 'I just can't believe it.' 

The trial was originally scheduled to start on November 5 at Salisbury Magistrates Court but was delayed until November 19.

Mrs Hankins was found dead at her home on Monday, November 16. Earlier that evening she had been preparing food and playing board games with the students.

Solicitor Richard Griffiths, whose firm represented Mrs Hankins, criticised the CPS decision to prosecute.

He said: 'That decision had the incredibly sad outcome that the anxiety Sarah experienced as a result of being the subject of that prosecution led her to take her own life.

'Richard Griffiths & Co made numerous representations to the Crown Prosecution Service that they should reconsider their decision to prosecute Sarah Hankins.

'She was a lady who had had no previous involvement with the Criminal Justice system of any kind.

'I have years of experience in conducting defended cases in the Magistrates Court and, without being too specific but with the benefit of detailed knowledge of Sarah's defence, I would have been amazed had any court convicted her.

'The Crown Prosecution Service were given detailed evidence in support of Sarah's defence which they chose either to ignore or disbelieve.

'To my mind it shows a failure to take responsibility and to stand up when there is overwhelming evidence that it is not in the public interest to continue with a prosecution.

'The attitude of sitting on your hands and 'letting the court decide' is to ignore the trauma that innocent people, faced with the prospect of a trial, go through.

'Unfortunately, we are becoming all too familiar with the low standard of decision making within the Crown Prosecution Service.'

Mrs Hankins's colleagues were due to appear as character witnesses at her trial and her boss, domestic bursar James Cameron, described her death as a 'tremendous loss'.

'Sarah was a kind and caring person who did not deserve to be driven to take her own life because the CPS would not let a failed case of alleged assault go,' he said.

'It's been such a tremendous loss. Staff at school just can't believe it. She will really be missed.' 

An inquest into Mrs Hankins's death has been opened and adjourned.

source mailonline