Danny Barnard, one of our excellent in-house advocates, represented an individual facing arson charges relating to a fire set in the hostel in which he was living.

He was arrested after the Crown built a strong case against him, including CCTV and eyewitness evidence. He was initially remanded to a specialist hospital for treatment under section 36 of the Mental Health Act 1983 and was deemed too unwell to attend his trial, which was held in his absence.

In such cases, a jury is tasked only to consider whether the client had made the act as charged. Thanks to Danny’s forensic examination skills the jury found that the act was not proven and the client was acquitted.