M, a serial burglar pleaded guilty to his third consecutive domestic burglary before Southwark Crown Court. In light of over twenty previous domestic and non-domestic burglary convictions he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.
Stuart successfully argued both that the sentencing judge erred in his approaching to sentencing and that the defendant’s particular circumstances made the imposition of the three-year sentence unjust. M had significant personal mitigation including substantial efforts to personally reform. The Court quashed the three-year sentence and replaced it with a suspended sentence of 18 months.
Stuart was instructed by Kelvin Mowatt of Powell Spencer and Partners