Millennium Chambers is pleased to report a successful sentencing outcome for Tess McCarthy, who persuaded the court not to activate her client’s suspended sentence at Brighton Crown Court.
The defendant appeared before the court after being reported for multiple breaches of a suspended sentence order, including admitted commission of further offences.
On behalf of her client, Tess McCarthy submitted that it would be unjust to activate the custodial element of the suspended sentence. She argued the new offences were significantly less serious than the original offence, the defendant had demonstrated distinct periods of desistance, and he was making steady progress through a drug rehabilitation requirement. It was further submitted that an immediate custodial sentence would undermine that progress and interrupt the structured support already in place.
The court accepted the submissions advanced on the defendant’s behalf and declined to activate the suspended sentence, allowing the defendant to continue engaging with rehabilitation and community-based support.
Tess McCarthy was instructed by Mark Chester of Blackfords LLP.
