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On the 25th of July 2024, Matthew Moore-Taylor appeared in the Court of Appeal to appeal against a sentence imposed in the Crown Court.
At their appearance in the Crown Court, Matthew’s client was sentenced to 20 months’ immediate imprisonment for the offence of attempting to enter the United Kingdom without valid entry clearance. The client had attempted to cross the English Channel on a rigid hull inflatable, or a “small boat”, but was intercepted by Border Forces before being processed in the Immigration Reception Centre in Dover.
The client’s sentence had been informed by their previous arrests in Belgium for illegitimate entry into the country and drug trafficking charges. In view of these convictions, the Recorder believed the client would resume a criminal lifestyle once in the UK and advised the Court to maintain the 20-month sentence as a deterrent to other criminally-motivated migrants.
Matthew challenged these assertions, submitting to the Court that the Recorder was giving too much weight to his client’s previous convictions, for which they had served their sentences in Belgium. Furthermore, Matthew emphasised his client’s cooperation with authorities upon their arrest, acknowledging that they had attempted to enter the country illegally.
In addition to these appeals, Matthew informed the Court that his client had been rendered homeless in Belgium and had been unable to return to their home country of Eritrea. The client had fled Eritrea in 2014 for fear of persecution, particularly because of the compulsory conscription to the Eritrean armed forces.
As a result of his appeal, Matthew was successful in obtaining a reduction in his client’s sentence from 20 months to 12 months.
The Judgment can be found in the Case Law National Archives.
Matthew enjoys a mixed practice, primarily accepting instructions in all areas of criminal law as well as private and public family law. For expert legal services and representation, please contact us at St Pauls Chambers.
Chambers is centrally located within walking distance of the train station, secure car parks and the Courts.
St Pauls Chambers
Park Row House
19-20 Park Row
Leeds
LS1 5JF
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