Sexual Assault Charges Dropped after “Impressive” Bail Application

Our client was charged with two counts of sexual assault on two paramedics in the back of an ambulance. An ambulance had been called after our client had hit his head on a concrete surface and had a seizure. He had recovered enough to enter the ambulance on his own, but was advised to lie on the internal stretcher by the paramedics.

While lying on the stretcher, our client reached up to tickle a female paramedic’s underarm. The female paramedic told him she did not want him to do that, and he put his arm down. A male paramedic alleged that our client then lunged backwards towards his groin. Internal footage of the ambulance did not show any evidence that this had occurred. Our client proceeded to have a further seizure in the ambulance while the paramedics were taking him to hospital.

Our client was taken into custody for unrelated matters. He was homeless prior to his arrest and did not have a suitable bail address available. He had also been convicted of two-hundred and forty-six offences, an unusually long record. Despite this, Hugo Cheema-Grubb wrote a bail application setting out the weakness of the evidence against him and arguing that this case was exceptional and should be distinguished from his record.

At the bail hearing the Judge specifically complimented our bail application, stating that he was “extremely impressed”, and that the application was written work of a standard he rarely sees. The judge asked the prosecution whether they were intending to take the matter forward and invited a further review of the case.

A little over a week later the prosecution offered no evidence in the matter.

Lorena Lowen had conduct of this case, assisted by Hugo Cheema-Grubb. We instructed Ella Ripper of 2 Hare Court Chambers.