Dan Santos-Costa, instructed by Lincoln’s Solicitors, secured his client a suspended sentence following a guilty plea (before trial) for possession of a bladed article.
The defendant had brandished a bladed article during an alcohol fuelled incident outside a licenced premises in West London. The Judge had previously given a Goodyear indication of a 14-month prison sentence. The mandatory minimum sentence provisions applied. Dan submitted to the Court that, despite being 22 years old, his client had demonstrated his ability to stay out of trouble as this represented his first conviction as an adult. He was supported at court by his mother and his girlfriend, who was four months pregnant, and it was submitted that immediate imprisonment would devastate his family and prevent him from seeing the birth of his child. The defendant was in stable, full-time employment and he expressed a desire to go to university. Dan submitted that there was a realistic chance of rehabilitation, and that any custodial term ought to be suspended to give his client a chance to prove himself.
Following mitigation, the Judge decided to take an “exceptional course” to suspend the 14-month prison sentence for 24 months.
Dan’s full profile: https://greatjames.co.uk/members/Dan-Santos-Costa/