Success in High Court appeal

SP was charged with multiple counts of rape and assault against the complainant. He had previously been accused by two other complainants of similar sexual and violent offences and had gone on the run from police in 2021 for nearly four months.

Despite the significant danger posed by SP, he was granted bail by the Crown Court. Thom represented the Crown Prosecution Service in bringing a successful appeal to the High Court against the decision (CPS v SP [2023] EWHC 3239 (KB)).

In his judgment, Mr Justice Martin Spencer accepted Thom’s submissions as to the risk that SP would commit further offences and interfere with witnesses, were he to be granted bail.

The decision of the Crown Court was quashed, and SP was remanded into custody to await his trial.