Acquittal in knife-point robbery case

Eleanor Lucas, instructed by Mary Buxton of Levy & Co solicitors, represented a youth faced with charges of robbery and possession of a bladed article. 

The Crown alleged that the defendant had approached the two complainants – aged 14 and 15 – in a park, threatened them with a machete and stolen various items from them. The issue was identification. The defendant was identified at the scene by one witness and later picked out of an identification parade by one of the complainants. 

Eleanor made a successful application under Section 78 PACE to exclude the complainants’ identification evidence on the basis that it was contaminated. 

At the conclusion of the Crown’s case Eleanor made a successful submission of no case to answer on the remaining identification evidence and the defendant was acquitted of all three charges.