Crime
Laura both prosecutes and defends in the Crown, Magistrates’ and Youth Court.
Cases:
R v G – Represented a defendant who pleaded guilty to the offence of drunk in charge. Defendant’s breath sample placed them in the highest sentencing bracket indicating a community order and disqualification but secured a fine and points.
R v B – Successful submission of no case to answer resulting in the defendant being acquitted of all charges.
R v W – Successfully opposed the Crown’s application to admit hearsay evidence thereby securing an acquittal for the defendant.
R v M – Appeared for the Crown and resisted defence counsel’s application to admit additional bad character evidence in respect of the complainant. Conviction secured.
R v M – Persuaded the magistrates not to activate a suspended sentence order despite the fact that the defendant had a history of offences similar to the two new convictions.
R v X and Y – Secured an acquittal in the Youth Court for a youth charged with robbery and attempted robbery.
R v S – Secured a conditional discharge for a client charged with driving whilst disqualified despite a late guilty plea and a significant history of relevant offences and despite the Judge having initially indicated that a custodial sentence was likely.
R v A – Secured an acquittal in the Youth Court for a youth charged with two counts of sexual assault. This case required an understanding of how to handle vulnerable witnesses and of intermediaries and how they are involved in the court process. This case also involved legal arguments on matters such as bad character evidence and adverse inferences.
R v D – Successfully resisted an application to adjourn, the Crown having failed to comply with disclosure requirements ahead of the trial date resulting in no evidence being offered an acquittal for the client who was charged with careless driving.