Not Guilty Verdict Secured in High-Stakes Stalking Case by Chaynee Hodgetts

Published: 23rd January 2025

Chaynee Hodgetts, instructed by Mr Paul Schofield and Mr Garry Leaver of Farleys Solicitors, secured a Not Guilty verdict, with the Prosecution offering no evidence against an Anglesey man charged with stalking involving fear of violence – an offence which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.

The Defendant’s laptop had been seized by Police – and, despite several court appearances in the case, with the Police not obtaining expert analysis, a Judge noting it was “unlikely that any material on [the laptop] will delay or derail the trial,” the laptop charger being lost, and the password being forgotten, the Defence persisted in seeking adjournment for Defence expert examination of the laptop.

The laptop was then subjected to Defence expert analysis, which gave rise to crucial new evidence. This was subsequently corroborated by Prosecution disclosure of the contents of Police analysis of the Defendant’s seized mobile phone, which was then found to support the Defence position.

The Defence analysis of the laptop, undertaken on Ms Hodgetts’ advice, revealed new evidence which had not been found by Police. This evidence ultimately led to the Client’s acquittal.

After Ms Hodgetts’ repeated applications to adjourn the trial to obtain the disclosure of the Defendant’s laptop for further analysis succeeded, and this new material was obtained, the case was brought back before the court by the Prosecution (after having previously been relisted for trial). The Crown offered no evidence, and a formal Not Guilty verdict was confirmed.

The Prosecution did not pursue any application for a Restraining Order on acquittal (so none was imposed), and a Defence Costs Order was granted to cover the Defendant’s travel expenses incurred in having been prosecuted then subsequently acquitted.