Summary
Our client was charged with three counts of making indecent images of children and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image. Partner Joanne Cestaro was instructed by our client, and thanks to Joanne’s expertise in criminal defence, the prosecution offered no evidence, and our client received not guilty verdicts for all charges.
Details of Case
In 2025, Bedfordshire Police investigated online activity attributed to our client’s IP address. As a result of this our client’s electronic devices were seized in July 2025.
Following examination of the devices, the Prosecution alleged relevant evidence was found on an Apple iPhone to charge our client with four counts relating indecent images of children and possession of an extreme pornographic image.
The Prosecution relied on digital forensic evidence to present the charges, recovering the illegal material from application folders, telegram group material and app-related artefacts.
Our Defence
Our client instructed Partner Joanne Cestaro to represent him throughout the case and build a strong defence against the allegations he faced. Our client denied any knowledge of the images and how they came to be on his phone.
Joanne challenged the Prosecution’s assumption that the presence of the images automatically proved guilt, identifying that the case turned on technical digital evidence rather than direct evidence of deliberate conduct.
Joanne relied on our client’s account in advancing the defence, highlighting his explanation that the images may have appeared on the phone through unprompted pop ups while he used apps such as Telegram, X and free football streaming sites. He also maintained that he did not know how the images found within the Snapchat application data came to be on his device. Throughout, our client’s position remained that he had never deliberately searched for the material.
To strengthen her defence, Joanne instructed an independent digital forensics expert to review the extraction data from our client’s seized electronic devices and the prosecutions forensic material.
The expert concluded that the evidence showed no clear signs of deliberate acquisition, saving, sharing or posting, in addition to some material potentially being present through automatic app activity.
Outcome
If convicted our client could have faced up to 3 years in custody, leaving our client reasonably distressed about the case.
Joanne instructed Barrister Tamasin Graham of Lamb Building to represent our client at Luton Crown Court, where she presented Joanne’s defence, arguing that our client had no knowledge of the images and how they came to be on his phone.
In light of the findings of the defence expert’s report, the Prosecution decided it could no longer proceed with the case once reviewed. The strength of the report led the prosecution to no longer feel satisfied that there was a realistic possibility of conviction. As a result, they offered no evidence and our client received not guilty verdicts for all charges.
This was a brilliant result for our client who was grateful to the skill and hard work of Joanne and Tamasin. The case and its outcome are a testament to Joanne’s expertise and commitment to providing the best possible care for her clients. This further emphasises the importance of instructing specialists in criminal defence can have on you and your case.
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