R -v -JO – Snaresbrook Crown Court

R -v -JO – Snaresbrook Crown Court. Represented JO who had been charged with several counts of Possession with Intent to Supply Class A drugs and Being concerned in supply Class A drugs. JO was previously represented by another firm of solicitors who had advised him to plead Guilty to the charges. He was looking at a 7-year Prison sentence. After transferring the case, Adam Law Solicitors successfully applied to the court to vacate JO’s previous plea of Guilty to that of Not Guilty raising the defence of Modern Slavery. The modern slavery defence under s.45 Modern Slavery Act 2015 was raised. As part of the defence case, Adam Law Solicitors instructed a modern slavery expert who concluded JO was a victim of human trafficking in the form of child criminal exploitation which continued into his young adulthood and was forced into criminality. JO had been recruited by an organised criminal group at a young age and pro-actively targeted by the criminal group due to his significant vulnerabilities. JO had also been referred to the Single Competent Authority known as an NRM referral which provided a conclusive grounds decision that JO was a victim of Modern Slavery. The defence raised that gangs often can use coercive methods in order to recruit young local men to become involved in their activities, including dealing drugs on their behalf. These methods can include the use of pressure, threats and physical violence. Gangs will often use methods to pressure people into working for them by claiming that those people owe them a debt. AT TRIAL THE CPS DROPPED THE CHARGES.