Court: Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
Case No: 202403231 A1, 202403268 A3, 202403409 A4, 202403274 A5
Neutral Citation: [2024] EWCA Crim 1382
Date: 7th November 2024
Judges:

• The Lady Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill, Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales
• Lord Justice Holroyde, Vice President of the Court of Appeal Criminal Division
• Mr Justice Bennathan

Parties Involved

• Applicants:
  1. Ozzie Cush
  2. Paul Williams
  3. Dylan Willis
  4. Aminadab Temesgen
• Respondent: Rex (Crown Prosecution Service)

Representation

• Applicants:
  • Alex Granville (instructed by Reeds Solicitors LLP) for Ozzie Cush
  • Sophie Allinson-Howells (instructed by Armstrong Westgarth Law) for Paul Williams
  • Gary Wood (instructed by Smith & Graham Solicitors) for Dylan Willis
  • Zoe Kuyken (instructed by Plymouth Defence Solicitors) for Aminadab Temesgen
• Respondent:
  • Duncan Atkinson KC (instructed by the Crown Prosecution Service) for Rex

Hearing Date

• 7th November 2024

Key Facts

The case involves a group of applicants (Cush, Williams, Willis, and Temesgen) appealing their convictions in various Crown Courts across England, including at Inner London, Newcastle upon Tyne, Teesside, and Plymouth. The appeal is against convictions rendered by different judges:

1. HHJ Kelleher at Inner London
2. HHJ Paul Sloan KC, Recorder of Newcastle at Newcastle
3. HHJ Francis Laird KC at Teesside
4. HHJ Robert Linford at Plymouth

Each applicant was convicted in a separate trial and is now seeking to overturn their respective convictions.

Legal Issues

• Grounds for Appeal:
  The appeal likely raises issues such as the correctness of legal rulings made at trial, the sufficiency of evidence, procedural fairness, or possible misdirection by the trial judges.
• Cross-Jurisdictional Considerations:
  Given the range of courts and judges involved, the Court of Appeal must also address whether there were any inconsistencies or legal errors in the proceedings across these different jurisdictions.

Observations

This case highlights the process of challenging convictions after trials in different Crown Courts. The appellants are represented by various defence solicitors and barristers, each raising arguments tailored to their respective cases. The diversity of the trials involved suggests complex legal issues surrounding evidentiary standards or trial fairness.

Decision

As the hearing date is recent (7th November 2024), the judgment has not yet been rendered. The Court of Appeal will review the grounds of appeal and the application of the law in the original trials, ultimately deciding whether the convictions should be upheld or overturned. The outcome will depend on whether significant errors or miscarriages of justice are found in the initial proceedings.

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