Briony Molyneux secures unanimous acquittal for client accused of supplying Class A drugs.

Briony Molyneux, instructed by Carson Kaye Solicitors, successfully secured a unanimous acquittal for her client who was accused of Supplying Class A drugs. Briony advanced the defence that her client was the victim of modern slavery and forced criminality, under s45 of the Modern Slavery Act. This is a particularly difficult defence to establish and they are very rarely successful.

Briony’s case was that her client has been compelled to carry drugs in a County Lines operation. The defendant had been forced to store the drugs, respond to customers on the Drug Line phone, and coordinate deals.

In preparation for the trial, Briony advised that the defence team instruct multiple experts and, with their assistance, she was able to demonstrate that her client has a significant array of vulnerabilities and chronic mental health struggles. This trauma included a suicide attempt as a result of feeling trapped and helpless at the hands of an unscrupulous gang who had targeted him over a significant period of time.

The defendant faced these proceedings for over four years before being vindicated in the Courts. The jury took just one and a half hours after the six day case to return their verdicts. He was understandably relieved and grateful for all of the efforts from Carson Kaye and Briony on his behalf.