Sarah Barlow secures acquittal for Police Officer

June 3, 2020

Sarah Barlow from Exchange Chambers has successfully defended a Police Officer charged with s39 assault.

It was alleged that the Officer had used excessive force on a suspect during the course of the execution of a search warrant at a property. The Officer admitted to using force from the outset, maintaining that the use of force was necessary, reasonable and proportionate.

After a day and a half of prosecution evidence, a submission of no case to answer was successfully made. The District Judge agreed with the submission that the prosecution had placed no evidence before him to suggest that the force used was anything other than lawful. The Officer was acquitted.

Sarah was instructed by Michael Hogan of Hogan Brown Solicitors.

Sarah predominantly practices in regulatory work, providing advice and representation to police officers and other professionals in both criminal and disciplinary proceedings. She is regularly instructed to represent police officers facing criminal and/or disciplinary investigations; she appears at both the misconduct stage and the PAT.