Suspended Sentence Granted at Appeal Court
Gemma Maxwell represented Lee Simon Peter Connell at the Court of Appeal and successfully argued that his previous six-month jail term be replaced with a suspended sentence.
Mr Connell had admitted possession of a bladed article and cocaine and using threatening and abusive behaviour at Chester Crown Court. But at the Court of Appeal Lady Justice Macur said “The exceptional circumstances of this particular offence, and this particular appellant, lead us to the conclusion that it was wrong in principle not to suspend the sentence.”
Mr Connell been diagnosed with drug-induced psychosis and depression, the court heard. The judge, who was sitting with Mrs Justice McGowan and Judge David Stockdale QC, allowed the appeal. She replaced Connell’s six-month jail term with a six-month suspended sentence, enabling his immediate release.
The case was covered on ITV and in the Liverpool Echo and Chester Chronicle.