British diplomat, 51, is cleared of attacking his estranged wife at £700,000 north London flat after she refused to give evidence
A British diplomat and former Ambassador has been cleared of a domestic violence charge after his estranged wife refused to give evidence against him.
Christopher Yvon, 51, who is the UK's Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe, was due to stand trial accused of assaulting Aneta Yvon at their north London flat.
She called police to their address in Hornsey two hours after the alleged incident when Yvon fell asleep in bed.
He has always denied the charge and was found not guilty when the Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence against him at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court.
Christopher Yvon (pictured outside court), 51, who is the UK's Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe, has always denied the charge and was found not guilty
Yvon was Her Majesty's Ambassador to Macedonia between 2010 and 2014 and the Charge d'Affaires at the British Embassy in Slovenia between 2014 and 2015.
Police were called to the two-bedroom £700,000 flat on September 17, last year and the CPS decided not to proceed with six minutes of evidence from the officers' body-worn cameras and Mrs Yvon's 999 call.
They were persuaded by a solicitor's letter from lawyer's acting for Mrs Yvon, who feared the financial implications for the family if her husband's diplomatic career was destroyed.
Yvon joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1989 and has completed diplomatic postings in Prague; Bangkok; Riyadh and Mauritius.
An expert in the fields of human rights; war crimes policy and UN sanctions Yvon was also Deputy Head of the International Organisations Department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
There his responsibilities included UK policy regarding the United Nations; Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe; the Council of Europe and the Commonwealth.
Previously the CPS rejected an application from Yvon's lawyers to drop the case on the grounds it was 'not in the public interest.'
He has since left the marital home and is now living in Kent.
There have been Family Court proceedings and Yvon is subject to a non-molestation order.
The Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence against him at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court
Mrs Yvon complained the continued prosecution was affecting the health of both her and the couple's 10 year-old daughter.
Prosecutor Vijay Khuttan told the court: 'In relation to the complainant there was a desire that she be summonsed to attend the trial and give evidence, but she has failed to attend on that summons.
'The police have carried out a welfare check and there does not appear to be anything untoward. It does not appear that she is in distress.
'It clearly is not in the public interest to drag her in handcuffs from north London to the court.
'There is a letter from the complainant's solicitors and she says she does not want to attend.
'There are detailed reasons why she does not want to come to court. They are legitimate and compelling reasons and she says she has moved on.
'This is a low-level offence and he is a man of good character and proceedings would effect his career and have an effect on the family finances.
'We believe the risk is now being managed and it is not in the public interest to proceed and I am going to offer no evidence.'
Yvon continues to be subject to a Family Court non-molestation order that was made on January 8 until October, this year.
His lawyer Ellis Sareen told the court: 'I think Mr. Khuttan took a look at the material and made, from my client's position, the right decision.
'He is not legally-aided and I ask for costs.'
The court awarded Yvon his private defence costs.