MPR advocate secures acquittal in Youth Court on serious ABH and affray charges

We acted for a 15 year old girl who was jointly charged with 2 others with affray and ABH on 2 adults.

Our client from denied the allegation from the start. We also represented her at the police station. We were able to advise her throughout the period in police custody and what the best course of action to take in the police interview. The issues in the case revolved around identification and joint enterprise. Our client had no previous convictions but her 2 co-defendants had numerous convictions. Unfortunately, there was no CCTV available in the area where the incident is alleged to have taken place so we were unable to rely upon corroborative evidence of that nature. We decided upon a particular strategy to take at the police station and following charge we had a case conference with our client and her parents so that all parties were fully aware of how the case would be defended.

It is traumatic for both young clients and their parents when facing the criminal justice system and we have the patience and the understanding to explain the law and the issues in a case in a clear and concise manner. We can also arrange for young clients to visit their local courts so that the experience of giving evidence in a trial situation is less of a shock and trauma.

In this particular case we advised our client and her family on what was required for her defence and obtained all the necessary defence evidence to secure an acquittal. Our solicitors invesigated the scene in Feltham to esatblish that the prosecution evidence was not credible. We were certain that the case against her was weak and even made written representations to the Crown Prosecution Service about discontinuing the case against her. The CPS decided to continue with the prosecution.

Our in-house solicitor-advocate with many years experience of trial advocacy met with our client and her family prior to the trial to discuss the case and to answer any questions that they had about the trial. He was able to put both youth and family at ease and guided them through the trial process. At the trial, our advocate began cross-examination of the prosecution witnesses (the alleged victims) and half-way through his astute and incisive cross-examination, it became very clear to the District Judge that the Prosecution witnesses evidence was simply not credible and requested that the CPS re-consider their view on the continued Prosecution against our client. The case was dismissed and our client was fully acquitted of all charges. She maintains a clean record and can pursue her dream of becoming a solicitor (not in criminal law she tells us!).