Operation Ravenclaw: Attorney-General Withdraws Unduly Lenient Sentence Reference

Chaynee Hodgetts successfully opposes Law Officers’ application to refer sentence to the Court of Appeal.

Operation Ravenclaw: Attorney-General withdraws ULS reference following Defence representations.

Ms Chaynee Hodgetts, instructed by Elliot Mather LLP, successfully opposed an application by the Law Officers to refer the sentence of her client, YD, to the Court of Appeal as unduly lenient under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.

Ms Hodgetts represented YD at trial and sentence in Operation Ravenclaw, a large multi-handed prosecution concerning a conspiracy to supply Class A drugs across Nottinghamshire. The Prosecution case relied heavily on extensive telephone and surveillance evidence said to demonstrate that YD had acted as a courier for members of the conspiracy. The defence case advanced at trial was that YD, a vulnerable and socially isolated woman with significant mental health difficulties, had been drawn into the orbit of others involved in the conspiracy and had not knowingly transported drugs.

At sentence, following conviction after trial, Ms Hodgetts advanced detailed submissions concerning YD’s limited role, vulnerability, and the short duration of her involvement. The court imposed a suspended sentence of two years’ imprisonment suspended for two years, with 30 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days – and YD therefore avoided immediate custody.

Following sentence, the Solicitor-General applied to refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal as unduly lenient under the Attorney-General’s Reference (Unduly Lenient Sentence) scheme. Ms Hodgetts prepared and served written representations opposing the proposed reference, identifying errors in the Law Officers’ understanding of the sentence imposed, and addressing the broader sentencing context of the case, including YD’s culpability, vulnerability, and relevant Court of Appeal authorities.

After considering Ms Hodgetts’ representations, the Attorney-General’s Office confirmed that their application to refer the sentence as unduly lenient had been withdrawn from the Court of Appeal