Kassar, Joseph

Joseph Kassar was convicted in July 1993 of being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of the prohibition on the important of a Class A drug (cocaine).

Mr Kassar received a sentence of 24 years’ imprisonment and a confiscation order in the sum of £8,850 with six month’s imprisonment in default.

The CCRC received an application for review of the conviction in April 1997.

As a result of its enquiries, the CCRC concluded that there had significant failures on the part of the prosecution in respect of its disclosure obligations.

The non-disclosed material consisted of sensitive information held by Her Majesty’s Customs & Excise (which prosecuted the case) that was relevant to an assessment of the role played by particular individuals in the importation of drugs.

In the CCRC’s view, this material should have been brought to the attention of the trial judge in the course of an ex parte Public Interest Immunity hearing.

The CCRC considered that the failure to do so had a material impact on Mr Kassar’s defence.

The CCRC referred the conviction in March 2003.

The Court of Appeal quashed the conviction in June 2004.