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Successful Appeal in Conspiracy Case

Date:

15th September 2011

Team:

Crime.

William Peat Snr. pleaded guilty to being a party to an organized and serious conspiracy to handle stolen motorcars, which the sentencing Judge described as regional and professionally planned offending. He was originally sentenced as a leading player in the conspiracy.

The stolen cars were stolen in the main in the course of Hanoi type burglaries, when the car keys were removed from houses and then expensive vehicles removed from the property driveways. The police operation concerned infiltrating what was said to be an organized criminal “travelling community’ gang with test purchase officers. A raft of material was served showing the movements of the original 12 Defendants involved.

At the Court of Appeal, David Dixon, who had appeared below, was able to persuade the Court that the sentencing Judge’s assessment of the Defendant’s role was inaccurate and that the original starting point of 9 years was simply too high. The Court agreed and reduced the Defendant’s sentence to 4 years.