Our client was a young man charged with break, enter & steal and related offences concerning a home invasion committed in company with use of a firearm. His matter was referred to us on a grant from Legal Aid. We prepared a defended committal hearing, at which we were confident on having the main charge downgraded to an enter with intent offence, and two others dismissed for lack of evidence. The prosecution offered our client a deal which would keep the matter in the Local Court. Weighing up the stress of a District Court jury trial and the inevitability of jail time in the unlikely event that he was convicted, our client instructed us to accept the prosecution’s offer. As our client had already served 6 months’ jail refused bail, we were able to persuade the sentencing magistrate to sentence our client to time served, meaning that he was free to go, with no further obligations such as a good behaviour bond or parole reporting.

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