Stephen Garbett secures acquittal of his client who faced trial for arson

Stephen Garbett recently secured the acquittal of his client who had faced a trial for arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered. The charge was changed to simple arson during the trial following an acceptable guilty plea by a Co-Defendant to this.

The case at Preston CC involved multiple Defendants charged with fraud and other matters. Stephen’s client was not charged with fraud, but was alleged to have facilitated an arson on behalf of a Co-Defendant to support her defence of duress in respect of the fraud she faced. Stephen persuaded the Judge to withdraw his client’s case from the jury by way of a submission of ‘no case to answer’ at the close of the Crown’s case.

Stephen was instructed by Awais Shah of Central Chambers Law Solicitors.