Eleazar (Lee) Anyene, Mahmud Aslam, instructed by JDS Solicitors and Brereton Horne, instructed by Corpers Solicitors, secured acquittals for their co-defending clients (a mother, daughter and son respectively) at Winchester Crown Court.
The three defendants absconded and none of them were present for their trial. The defendants, who were originally charged with conspiracy, stood trial along with two others, on the substantive charge of Assisting Illegal Immigration to a Member State, contrary to section 25(1) of the Immigration Act 1971.
During the case of the prosecution, and following protracted legal arguments on the disclosure, the prosecution, on day 9 of the 6 week trial, offered no evidence against each defendant, and the jury, on the direction of the Judge declared verdicts of “not guilty.”