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Sophie’s client, who was aged 17 at the time of his arrest, faced a nine count indictment consisting of allegations made by two complainants. The first complainant alleged that the defendant had physically assaulted her, strangled her and threatened her with a large kitchen knife for a number of hours at a relative’s address. She alleged that he had then forced her to travel across London to his own address, before smuggling her into the property inside a laundry bag. She alleged that over the following two days he had imprisoned her at his address against her will, where he continued to physically assault her and orally rape her.
Following a 6 day trial at Woolwich Crown Court, the defendant was acquitted by the jury of all eight counts against the first complainant.
The defendant was acquitted of one count of assault against the second complainant following a successful submission of no case to answer at the close of the prosecution case.
The case involved careful witness handling of three teenage prosecution witnesses. It also involved legal arguments regarding evidence of previous sexual conduct and the admissibility of bad character of the defendant and a prosecution witness.
Sophie was instructed and supported throughout the case by Melissa Ansah and Brendan McGahan of Murray Hughman.
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