Joe Stone KC successfully resists application to increase Manslaughter sentence by the Solicitor General under section 36 Criminal Justice Act 1988

Joe Stone KC was successful in resisting an application by the Solicitor General (SG) to increase a 4 year term of imprisonment for Manslaughter. The case attracted national headlines and a local on line petition supported by the local MP who all sought an upward variation of sentence. The court (Macur LJ, Males J and Goose J) accepted the primary submission of the offender (X) that the sentence was lenient but not unduly so therefore the original term of imprisonment would remain and the SG’s application would be dismissed . Recent Statistics released from the Attorney General’s Office and Solicitor General’s Office show that since 2020 only 10-15% of applications to resist AG/SG sentence increases under section 36 CJA 1988 are successful. Joe is well known for his specialist experience in dealing with high profile Attorney Generals/Solicitor General References having been instructed in the lead cases in this field including: Attorney General References No 14 and Number 15 of 2006 (R v French and Webster) [2007] 1 Cr.App.R (S) 40 [Archbold 2023 – 7-449 p1485] which dealt with the “double jeopardy” principle. Joe Stone KC led Deni Mathews (Head of KBG Chambers).