Rape trial collapses after disclosure failures

Another high-profile rape trial has collapsed after the CPS was forced to offer no evidence when images emerged of the defendant in bed with his alleged victim.

The collapse of the prosecution at Snaresbrook Crown Court is the latest example of vital evidence either not being found or not being disclosed.  

Samson Makele had been under investigation for a year and a half before the case collapsed just two weeks before his trial was due to begin.

Harriet Johnson, Mr. Makele’s barrister, said 

“had we not been able to recover these images ourselves, there is every chance Mr. Makele could have been wrongly convicted.  The prosecution are under a duty to investigate all avenues that could potentially prove the defendant’s innocence, as well as his / her guilt - yet cases like this make it clear that that is not being done.  Unless the disclosure regime is seriously overhauled I have no doubt that there will be miscarriages of justice.”

Coverage of the case can be found here, here and here. 

Harriet Johnson was instructed by Paris Theodorou of Hodge Jones and Allen