Meeno’s youth client was charged with supplying Class A drugs. Meeno advanced a defence under Section 45 of the Modern Slavery Act, submitting that her client had been a victim of child criminal exploitation after being forced to sell drugs by older street dealers.
Meeno wrote representations to the Crown to reconsider the prosecution based on the psychiatric, psychologist and Modern Slavery expert report, as there was clear evidence that her client was supplying drugs as a direct consequence of being exploited.
The Crown proceeded to trial. Meeno ran the Section 45 defence where extensive cross-examination of the police officers took place. Meeno secured an acquittal on both offences following trial.
Meeno was instructed by Sarah Wilson of MK Law Solicitors.
Meeno Chawla has a busy defence practice and is regularly instructed in the Crown Court and Magistrates’ Courts dealing with a wide range of offences including drugs, fraud, robbery, domestic violence and sexual crimes. She has experience in dealing with young and vulnerable defendants in the youth courts and has completed specialist training with the Youth Justice Legal Centre.
