Katie Porter-Windley, instructed by Crownbridge Law, represented a defendant facing sentence for the theft of a handbag containing a $2.8million Fabergé egg, alongside three counts of fraud.

Katie successfully persuaded the Court whist it was accepted it was a very high value offence, not to apply the full thrust of the sentencing guidelines; taking into account that the degree of loss associated with the value of the items was wholly unexpected by the defendant, far exceeding his expectations, and that he was never aware of the extraordinary value even once the theft had been committed. Further, Katie successfully argued that the aggravating features of prevalence and his relevant previous convictions which post-dated the index offence, did not apply. The defendant was sentenced to a total of 27months imprisonment.