Sebastian Walker leading Kate Jenkin represented a young defendant with learning disorders in Operation Hoptown, a Flying Squad investigation into a series of professionally planned robberies of betting shops in East London. The case involved cell site, extensive surveillance, CCTV and DNA/fingerprint evidence. Defence cell site, DNA, facial mapping and audio enhancement experts were all instructed as well as a psychiatrist and an intermediary.
Following the collapse of the first trial after 8 weeks the re-trial ran for 40 days. Sebastian and Kate’s client was one of only two defendants for whom the jury could not reach a verdict, and the only defendant to be granted bail at the conclusion of the second trial. Following the service of further material addressing gaps identified in the case he was ultimately convicted at the end of a third five week trial. He was, however, the only defendant to receive a sentence of imprisonment that did not require him to be readmitted to custody (the lead defendant having received a sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment).
Sebastian and Kate were expertly assisted throughout by Georgia Patterson of TV Edwards Solicitors.
Further information
For more information from the crime team, contact clerks@36crime.co.uk
