Over the course of a two day hearing, Nick Beechey, instructed by Gavin Rose of BK Law, appeared in a special court, presided over by the Vice-President of the Court of Appeal Criminal Division, convened to address IPP and DPP sentences imposed on children and young people (all the appellants in this appeal were all twenty one or under at the time of sentence) in six conjoined cases where the sentences had been passed between 2006 and 2010.
Overarching submissions on behalf of the appellants were made by Farrhat Arshad KC. Nick presented his appellant’s appeal, which related to a DPP with a minimum term of four years imposed for an offence of stranger rape. The case had been referred by the CCRC after a previous unsuccessful appeal in 2010. Nick drafted perfected Grounds of Appeal.
The imposition of a DPP/IPP in five of the six appellants’ cases was quashed; one appellant’s case was adjourned. Nick’s appellant’s IPP was replaced with an extended sentence, which has been served in its entirety resulting in immediate release.
This is the second time in ten years that Nick has appeared in a special appeal court convened to address IPP/DPP sentences. The previous court was presided over by the then Lord Chief Justice. This underlines his long standing commitment to and experience in challenging these sentences, abolished in 2012 but the effects of which are still endured today by many offenders still serving well beyond the sentences they ought to have received.
Nick specialises in appeals to the CACD, as well as applications to the CCRC, in relation to both conviction and sentence across the spectrum of criminal offences in cases where he was not the original advocate.
Nick’s full profile: Nick Beechey – Great James Street Chambers
To instruct Nick, please contact the clerking team at clerks@greatjames.co.uk or on 0207 440 4949.