Suspended Sentence for Post‑Natal Defendant

Zoë Chapman has secured a suspended sentence for a new mother in a case that would ordinarily have resulted in immediate custody.

The defendant had stabbed her ex‑husband during a prolonged and heated argument, causing a single wound to the chest.

Drawing on the Sentencing Council’s updated guidance from 1 April 2024 on ‘pregnancy, childbirth and post‑natal care’, Zoë’s mitigation highlighted the profound impact imprisonment would have on the defendant’s newborn and three older children. She also emphasised the significant change in circumstances over the four‑year delay.

The court accepted a plea to s.20 and despite aggravating features and limited credit, concluded that the welfare considerations justified suspending the sentence.

She was instructed by Thomas Ashley of Lloyds PR Solicitors.

Zoë Chapman’s expertise in this area is reflected in her published commentary on the treatment of pregnant women in the criminal justice system here