Zoe Dawson successfully defends client against assault allegation

Zoe Dawson acted for a client charged with assault. The case had a complex backdrop, involving a successful application to the Family Court for disclosure of relevant material, in which the Defendant was not a party, into the Criminal Proceedings.

Despite repeated s.8 CPIA applications and repeated directions from the Court to disclose additional material over the course of a year, the Prosecution failed to adhere to it's disclosure duties until the morning of the third trial listing.

The Prosecution sought a short adjournment to allow review of and disclosure of this material. The Defence successfully opposed this application, in light of the history of non-compliance, and thereon referred the court to R v Petrie [2015] EWHC 48 - where the Crown fails in its disclosure obligations it should offer no evidence.

In line with this, the Prosecution offered no evidence.