GT Stewart Solicitors & Advocates represented a vulnerable young person with learning difficulties.  Our client had pleaded guilty to Causing Grievous Bodily Harm, Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm and Assault on an Emergency Worker, all of which related to separate incidents. He was also convicted of Wounding with Intent to Cause Grievous Bodily Harm and Having a Bladed Article, relating to yet another incident.  All of these offences can result in lengthy custodial sentences, and in the case of Wounding with Intent to Cause Grievous Bodily Harm, nearly always do.  Our client was represented by Philip Mahoney as advocate and Patricia Walker as litigator, both based in GT Stewart’s Leeds Office.

Mr Mahoney and Mrs Walker took account of our client’s learning difficulties at an early stage, and ensured that he was properly assessed by a psychologist and that he had the support of an intermediary throughout his trial.  After he was convicted we arranged for our client to be further assessed by the psychologist, who prepared a report addressing his cognitive difficulties. Mr Mahoney then represented him at a lengthy and complex sentencing hearing, at the conclusion of which the Judge took the extremely unusual step of imposing a non-custodial sentence.