Not Guilty: Client Acquitted Four Years After Alleged Knife Offence

Our client was only 16 when he was arrested and interviewed in relation to an allegation of threatening with a bladed article.

Despite the client having been interviewed in June 2022, a decision to charge was not made until March 2024, by which time he had turned 18.

The delay was particularly concerning because the client had already been before the Youth Court during the intervening period in relation to a separate drugs matter. The outstanding knife investigation was raised during those proceedings, but no meaningful update could be provided. The drugs matter was ultimately resolved by way of an out-of-court disposal.

Had the knife allegation been progressed alongside the other matter, the client could have been dealt with while he remained within the youth justice system. Instead, through no fault of his own, he reached adulthood before a charging decision was made in relation to conduct alleged to have occurred when he was only 16.

We raised the significant delay at every appropriate stage and ultimately advanced an abuse of process argument in the Crown Court, relying upon the history of the case and the prejudice caused by the passage of time. Although that application was unsuccessful, we continued to vigorously defend the client at trial.

Almost four years after the alleged offence, the client faced a four-day jury trial at the Crown Court.

Following the presentation of the prosecution evidence and the defence case, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and the client was acquitted.

The outcome brought to an end proceedings which had followed the client from childhood into adulthood. The case demonstrates the importance of persistent and specialist representation in cases involving children, particularly where substantial delay means that a young person reaches adulthood before criminal proceedings are concluded.

Leah Connolly was the solicitor with conduct of this case. 

Rhys Rosser and Lauren Bates-Brownsword of 2BR Chambers were instructed for the abuse of process. 

Nishma Exley-Shah of Blackfriars Chambers was instructed for the trial.