BSQ Sexual Assault Prosecution Discontinued
BSQ’s private crime department has secured a discontinuance shortly before trial in a Crown Court prosecution of our client, P for allegations of sexual assault.
The decision by the Crown to offer no evidence came three weeks before P’s trial was scheduled to take place. It followed a series of requests by BSQ for the CPS to review their decision to proceed after new material had come to light casting doubt on the complainant’s credibility.
BSQ were approached by P after he received a request from police to attend an interview concerning an allegation of sexual assault said to have taken place seven years earlier whilst he was a student at university. Subsequently, P, a man of good character with an impeccable employment record had embarked on a successful career in education working at a prominent establishment in the private sector.
P refuted the allegations against him. During the proceedings BSQ made repeated entreaties to the Crown to review their decision to proceed in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors test. This requires the crown to continuously review any decision to prosecute considering the evidential test – that there must be a reasonable prospect of conviction – and public interest test.
BSQ have secured a number of acquittals for defendants in privately funded cases where sexual assault allegations have been made in recent times. The case of P follows a series of cases where BSQ clients have been found not guilty by way of jury verdict including the acquittals after trial of a medical professional, that of a businessman accused of sexual misconduct and of a client accused of multiple sexual offences in early 2023. Earlier this year following a successful application to dismiss in the Crown Court charges of sexual misconduct were not proceeded with in relation to another BSQ client. Notably, in several other cases BSQ pre-charge representations have succeeded in persuading the Crown not to bring charges against clients accused of similar conduct.
P was represented by BSQ partner Roger Sahota assisted and by Sarah Forshaw KC of 5 Kings Bench Walk instructed by BSQ.
For more information visit our sexual allegations solicitor's guide.
If you are accused of sexual misconduct and require legal representation, please contact our London offices on 020 3858 0851.