Perverting the Course of Justice | New Sentencing Guidelines
It has recently been heavily reported in the national press that a twenty-two years old woman has been sentenced to imprisonment for eight-and-a-half years following conviction for nine counts of ‘perverting the course of justice’ by falsely claiming that she was the victim of sexual abuse and rape.
For further Press details please follow the link:
‘Perverting the course of Justice’ (‘the offence’) is a common law offence committed when an individual deliberately acts in a manner intended to prevent justice from being served whether it be on themselves or another party.
Mohammed Ahmed of Kangs Solicitors comments upon the position generally.
Kangs Solicitors has an enviable reputation for professionally representing clients, over many years, accused of criminal activity of every nature including those involving allegations of perverting the course of justice and illegal sexual conduct.
We appreciate the strain on clients and their families when facing criminal allegations of any nature and we are here to assist and support.
Hamraj Kang leads an award-winning team of lawyers nationally recognised for its excellence and expertise in the area of criminal defence work of every nature including those involving allegations of sexual offences.
For an initial no obligation discussion, please contact our team at any of the offices detailed
below:
0207 936 6396
0121 449 9888
0161 817 5020
07989 521210
London
Birmingham
Manchester
24 Hours number
The Circumstances | Kangs False Sexual Abuse Allegations Defence Lawyers
The court heard that the defendant, Eleanor Williams of Cumbria alleged that she had, inter alia, been beaten, abused and raped by three males, one of whom had groomed her from the age of twelve and forced her to work in brothels in Amsterdam.
However, the court also heard that the defendant had fabricated all of her evidence and had inflicted injuries to herself, by using a hammer, which she blamed on the innocent men whom she had accused.
Perverting the Course of Justice | Kangs Serious Crime Defence Solicitors
The offence of Perverting the Course of Justice is committed when an accused:
- does an act or series of acts
- which has or have a tendency to pervert
- which is or are intended to pervert the course of public justice
The offence can be committed in a variety of ways examples including:
- fabricating evidence
- tampering with evidence
- making false allegations
- concealing the commission of an offence
- interfering with witnesses, evidence and jurors
The offence of Perverting the course of justice is an indictable-only offence, which means that it can only be tried in the Crown Court.
Elements of the offence are akin to those required to prosecute cases of perjury under the Perjury Act 1991.
Indeed, the crime of perjury may form part of a significant series of acts aimed at perverting justice, thereby leading to a charge of perverting the course of justice.
Chapman J in R v Warne (1980) described perjury as:
‘one of the most serious offences on the criminal calendar because it wholly undermines the whole basis of the administration of justice.’
Given this judicial description of perjury and that conviction for such an offence carries the comparatively modest maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment or a fine, the seriousness of conviction for perverting the course of justice is highlighted by the fact that it carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and/or a fine.
How Can We Help? | Kangs Perjury Offences Defence Lawyers
The Team at Kangs Solicitors understands the enormous difficulties and pressures imposed upon an accused person and family whatever the nature of the allegations and is here to assist at every level.
False allegations of sexual offences are by no means uncommon and our Team is accustomed to assisting our clients by exploring, for example:
- forensic evidence
- ‘phone evidence, including text communications
- social media of every nature
- witness evidence
- all relevant historical activity
By way of a small sample of cases where our Team has successfully defended cases where false allegations have been made against our client we would invite you to refer to the following:
- Rape Trial – ‘Not Guilty’ Verdict at Snaresbrook Crown Court
- Client Cleared of Rape at Wood Green Crown Court
- ‘Not Guilty’ Verdicts In Rape Trial
- Successful Historical Sex Charge Defence
Who Can I Contact For Help? | Kangs National Criminal Defence Lawyers
Our Team will be delighted to hear from you and can be contacted at the offices shown at the commencement of this article and we provide an initial no obligation consultation from all of our offices.
If we can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our Team through any of the following:
