CPS blunder may lead to fraud case re-opening

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 12th, 2012 at 2:02 pm

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has admitted an error this week that may lead to the re-opening of a case that resulted in a conviction over four years ago.

According to local news site This Is Lancashire, Nasima Esa was convicted of serious fraud in 2008 for her part in a criminal organisation convicted of credit card cloning and kidnapping. 12 gang members were convicted of serious fraud, with Esa ordered to pay a nominal fee and spend two and a half years in jail for her role in the fraud.

The CPS now wishes for the case to be re-opened, after admitting to an error that meant that Ms Esa’s full assets were not disclosed at her original trial. The CPS is looking for a judgment, which could mean that Esa will be forced to pay an additional £83,000 for a crime for which she has already been convicted. A spokesman for the CPS said, “It has been admitted an error was made”.

Ms Esa’s criminal defence solicitors will be strongly contesting the re-opening of the case, arguing that their client has already completed a sentence for the crime and highlighting the fact that the defendant made a full disclosure at her original trial. Criminal defence solicitors acting on behalf of Nasima Esa said that their client was “troubled” that a case in which she gave “full disclosure” may be re-opened. It remains to be seen whether the courts will grant this request.

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