Appeal 

R v C

Narita Bahra KC having been appointed by the Court of Appeal Registrar successfully appealed a Sentence, The judgement was of importance, as the Court of Appeal issued guidance to advocates, warning them to take care at sentencing hearings where a combination of indeterminate and determinate sentences are imposed.

Narita was successful on appeal in reducing the minimum term the client had to serve in custody before being eligible for consideration for release by the Parole Board.

The appeal arose because the client, post trial, had received a life sentence for manslaughter at the same time as receiving determinate sentences for burglary, aggravated vehicle taking without consent and attempted robbery. The client’s previous team had not identified the sentencing error. 

The Court of Appeal noted that although the difference in this case was capable of clarification, the rules on minimum terms may cause greater controversy and concern in other cases. The Court warned both courts and advocates to be sensitive to the different release regimes that apply to different types of offences.