GT Stewart Solicitors represented a client charged with one offence of criminal damage (contrary to section 1(1) of the CDA 1971).  It was alleged our client smashed a television in a hospital. We subsequently received confirmation that our client had been sectioned under s.3 of the Mental Health Act 1983.  We were able to obtain medical evidence of our client’s mental health issues which confirmed a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia.  We drafted representations to the Crown Prosecution Service that the prosecution of our client was not in the public interest having regard to our client’s mental state at the time the offence and the circumstances of the alleged offence.

The prosecuting lawyer reviewed the case following on from our representations and agreed with our assessment of the situation and decided to discontinue the case against him.  This positive outcome meant our client did not have to attend court and he could complete his treatment as an in-patient at a psychiatric hospital.

Our client was represented by Ed Youlton, a solicitor in our Leeds Crime Team.