Katie Doherty, instructed by David Richter of Londonium Solicitors, represented a 16 year old vulnerable youth defendant in relation to six terrorism offences said to have been committed at the age of 14 (three offences of possession of terrorist publications contrary to section 58(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2000 and three more serious offences of dissemination of terrorist material contrary to section 2(2)(d) of the Terrorism Act 2006).

The prosecution case was that the defendant was an enthusiastic adherent of the Islamic State, a proscribed terrorist organisation, and was heavily involved in possessing and disseminating materials to other individuals.

Following extensive advice, the obtaining of relevant expert medical evidence and the preparation of detailed written submissions, the Crown accepted pleas to the three lesser possession offences.

Katie successfully persuaded the Court to order a non-custodial disposal, despite the offending crossing the custody threshold by a significant margin