Constance Halliwell, Instructed by Peter Haney of Bell Lamb & Joynson Solicitors, Successfully Defends Youth Charged with Serious Sex Offence
Constance Halliwell, instructed by Peter Haney of Bell Lamb and Joynson Solicitors, represented a 15 year old client charged with assault by penetration at trial in the Youth Court, following which he was acquitted.
R v Youth A– The case against the defendant was put on a joint enterprise basis, his co-defendant having pleaded guilty and the defendant’s alleged role having been to assist the co-defendant. The complainant in the case had made a delayed complaint of the allegation to a teacher and subsequently, to the police. Her evidence in ABE interview and the hearsay evidence from witness statements of family members regarding her initial disclosures was at face value, consistent. However, following late disclosure of a vast amount of unused material by the prosecution and careful consideration of the same by Constance and her instructing solicitor, it became apparent that the complainant had given varying accounts to police officers, teachers and social workers. These inconsistencies were put to the complainant in cross-examination and the defendant was acquitted.
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