James Dixon appeared on behalf of the Appellant, Peter Venables, today in the Court of Appeal in respect of an appeal against a sentence of Detention for Public Protection which had been imposed on 25 July 2007 at the Crown Court at Bolton. The Appellant was only 17 at the time of the offences and 18 at the time of sentence. The Court (Jackson LJ presiding) in quashing the DPP and replacing it with an extended sentence, observed not only that caution ought to be applied in respect of young people before a indeterminate sentence is imposed but also that such a sentence can engender a sense of hopelessness in the young person. The appeal had been adjourned from 30 January 2014 in order for the probation service to provide more information which they very helpfully did. It was a further feature of the case that the Appellant had restored important family relationships.
James Dixon was instructed by Mr Robert Welsh, specialist prison law solicitor and consultant for Carringtons Solicitors, Nottingham.
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