Vindictive bitch costs a young man's family $20,000

Australian student Andrew Thistleton is preparing to celebrate with a beer and return home after assault charges in the US against him were dropped for the crime of throwing a snowball at a co-worker. Mr Thistleton, 21, smiled and hugged his mother Kim Anderson outside the Summit County Court in Breckenridge, Colorado, after the case was dismissed at the 11th hour yesterday. Dr Anderson has spent about $20,000 on legal fees, flights and accommodation to fight her son's case over the last 10 months.

Mr Thistleton refused to accept a plea deal on lesser charges because he was determined to clear his name, saying all he had done was throw a snowball. "I'm overjoyed. It's a long time overdue but I'm certainly happy with the result," a beaming Mr Thistleton said. He said he would continue to throw snowballs but probably now just at close friends and relatives.

"It's just been insane. It's been hanging over my head and my family's heads just a neverending nightmare and now it's finally over." The Sydney University arts student had faced up to 18 months in a US jail. He was accused of throwing a snowball at co-worker Michelle Oehlert on February 3 in the staff car park of the Copper Mountain ski resort in Colorado. The pair worked together at a ski rental shop.

US prosecutors said he threw an iceball and charged him with third-degree assault and harassment. Mr Thistleton faced court last week but a mistrial was declared when Ms Oehlert raised unsubstantiated claims of inappropriate touching. Mr Thistleton said he believed the charges were dropped because prosecutors realised Ms Oehlert had become "a loose cannon", was an unreliable witness and had been untruthful all along.

In return for dismissing the charges, Mr Thistleton, a champion cross-country skier, agreed to give Ms Oehlert a written apology. "I just basically wrote: 'I apologise for any harm that I may have caused you. I'm sorry if it appeared as though I was being malicious, that was never my intention. It was just a snowball and in short I'm sorry'," he said.

Any conviction could also have prevented the film student from working or studying in future in the US. "I want to get into film and this (America) is the place to do it obviously. But I think it will be just a little while before I come back," Mr Thistleton said.

He described the whole case as a "farce" and "ridiculous". "I couldn't ever dream that something like this could go this far". He also thanked Australians and many Americans for their "heartwarming" support during his ordeal. "It's ceaseless. You know I've had nightmares about it, just constantly thinking about it. It's hard to take your mind away from something like that but now hopefully all that's gone away," Mr Thistleton said.

His mother was ecstatic after the charges were dropped and said: "I'm just so relieved this is over and we can get on with our lives." Under US law, Mr Thistleton cannot apply for any compensation or have his legal fees reimbursed. Ms Oehlert, 22, did not go to court and has refused to comment on the case.

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