Sussex woman jailed for perverting the cause of justice

A Sussex woman has been jailed a year after her false statement almost saw the wrong person convicted of a firearms charge.
Following her original statement a man was charged for a crime he did not commitFollowing her original statement a man was charged for a crime he did not commit
Following her original statement a man was charged for a crime he did not commit

Hayley Carter, from Crawley, was convicted at Lewes Crown Court of perverting the course of justice after a recording emerged of her admitting she had given a false statement to the police.

Following her original statement one case was wrongly discontinued in relation to serious firearms charges, and a man charged for a crime he did not commit, a spokesperson for the Attorney General’s Office said.

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Lee Goodsell was remanded in custody for five months before his trial collapsed when the recording came to light.

The Solicitor General referred her case to the Court of Appeal to try and get Carter’s sentence increased.

Carter was originally sentenced to an 18-month community order with an electronically monitored curfew requirement for nine months.

She also received a 240-hour unpaid work requirement, a 30-hour attendance centre requirement, and was ordered to pay £1,500 in costs.

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The Court of Appeal decided yesterday that a 12-month prison sentence was more appropriate.

Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General said:

“False witness statements can destroy lives and undermine faith in the entire criminal justice system.

“I referred this case as I did not believe the sentence reflected the seriousness of the offence.

“I am pleased that the Court of Appeal has agreed that a stronger sentence was necessary.”

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