Edward was an assigned advocate for a female client who had been charged with section 20 unlawful wounding, an offence that carries a maximum sentence of 5 years’ custody. It was alleged that she had stabbed and slashed the leg of her former partner several times during a domestic argument. Upon the arrival of the police, the male refused to give an account of what happened nor assert who had caused the injuries. The defendant maintained that the injuries had been self-inflicted.
The case was fraught with overwhelming failures by the Crown Prosecution Service including issues of disclosure, hearsay and late service of evidence. In the light of these failures, and given the seriousness of the offence against the defendant, Edward drafted a detailed defence case statement and made specific disclosure requests to assist with his client’s case. When the Crown’s response was unsatisfactory, Edward made a further section 8 CPIA application to maintain the pressure. Edward also dealt with a hearsay application that was served by the Crown the evening before his client’s trial. He wrote detailed and thorough submissions opposing the hearsay application at every opportunity.
As a result of the work Edward and his instructing solicitors did on this case, the Crown offered no evidence against Edward’s client and proceedings were discontinued. Edward was commended for his client care after he escorted his client out of court until she felt safe, due to an associate of the ex-partner had attended proceedings to intimidate her.
Edward was instructed by Priya Pandya of Hodge Jones & Allen and can be instructed in all areas of criminal law.
