Client Receives Community Order For Assault

Case study summary

Our client pleaded guilty to common assault. She was a single mother and a vulnerable adult who suffered with poor mental health. Expert mitigation from one of our advocates ensured that she received the lowest possible sentence, and support instead of unnecessary punishment.

Case study

Our client instructed us after she was charged with two counts of common assault against her former partner’s new girlfriend and her friend. There was an altercation in the street after years of tension between the parties, which stemmed from our client’s abusive relationship with her former partner, came to a head and she was accused of assaulting both women. This was a serious criminal offence and there was strong evidence against her.

Our client accepted the offences and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. We worked with her to build a relationship of trust, so we could obtain as much information as possible to present as mitigation to the court. Our client was a single mother to three young children, one of whom she was the registered carer for due to his complex disabilities, and she struggled with poor mental health herself. She had no previous convictions and we obtained references from her friends and family members to confirm that the offending was out of character for her.

It was clear to us from the outset that our client was exactly the type of person who would benefit from working with the probation service and the extra support that they could provide. One of our experienced court advocates presented strong and persuasive mitigation to the court which resulted in her receiving a community order and avoiding a prison sentence. She was very pleased with this result.