Niamh Sexton secures conviction at Croydon Crown Court in dangerous driving case

Niamh Sexton secured a conviction in a dangerous driving trial at Croydon Crown Court in which duress was raised as a defence.

Following a lengthy police chase, during which the defendant drove on the wrong side of the road and narrowly missing oncoming traffic, he eventually fled the vehicle with 2 others. The defendant was stopped by a police dog and arrested.

The defendant claimed that he had been acting under duress – that he had been grabbed from the street and forced at knifepoint to drive the car in the manner that he did. He claimed each time he tried to stop the vehicle the knife was used to threaten him. This account was scrutinised by Niamh through careful cross-examination of the defendant. After a 4-day trial the Defendant was convicted.

Niamh was instructed by the Crown Prosecution Service.