Theft dropped after representations - Isleworth Crown Court 2022

We represented a regulated professional with a public role. Our client had worked so hard to achieve her profession. Our client faced a shoplifting allegation at an airport from a high end store. A conviction would have ended our clients career and have had huge implications for personal life and mental health. Our client on the face of the police case faced a strong case. Our private client team acted swiftly to prepare the defence and identify holes in the case. We identified a clear defence to the case. We gave pre Interview advice on our clients defence. We arranged for a senior lawyer to attend the police interview out of hours at a distant police station. We gave post interview advice and made substantial detailed written representations to get the case dropped. The police unreasonably refused our request to drop the case.  

We made post charge representations to the CPS at the highest levels and also arranged to speak to a senior CPS prosecutor face to face pre court to discuss the case. There was strong opposition from the high end store and the police officer in the case and the CPS would not drop the case.

We advised our client to maintain a not guilty plea and to elect trial before a jury. 

We gathered character evidence and took detailed instructions on CCTV from the store and arrest. We arranged an early meeting with a first class barrister to advise on the steps to take.

We carried out research on high value similar items sold at that store to support our defence. We looked at a detailed pattern of our client’s shopping patterns with high value item spending to support the defence. The CPS agreed to discontinue the case in the face of the overwhelming defence case. Sometimes even an innocent person can appear guilty and having the best lawyers on your side is crucial.