A court case fell apart after a police officer told magistrates she was convinced a black teenager she was unable to identify was a suspected criminal because the town she patrolled is "predominantly white".

Pc Ash Bates reported Blessed Banda, 19, had breached a criminal behaviour order after she supposedly witnessed him walking in a group with two other youths in Maidstone.

However, Maidstone Magistrates Court heard Pc Bates could not see the man's face but yet insisted she was "100 per cent certain" Banda was among the group because the town is "predominantly white".

Banda was cleared of the breaching the order. The 19-year-old was handed a criminal behaviour order last year that banned him from socialising with his friend Gbenga Olajide.

But after Pc Bates thought she saw the pair walking together, Banda was arrested and charged with breaching his order.

The officer said she had dealt with the pair on a number of occasions but also claimed due to the low number of black people in the county town, she believed it was Mr Banda and Mr Olajide.

In her evidence at Maidstone Magistrate's Court, Pc Bates also likened the two friends to comic pair Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.

She said: "They were walking with one another laughing and seemed to be chatting. "I have had many interactions with the defendant for 18 months.