Kulunk, Umit

Umit Kulunk was convicted in February 1998 of conspiracy to supply heroin and received a sentence of 26 years’ imprisonment.

The CCRC received an application for review of Mr Kulunk’s sentence in December 2002.

Following review, the CCRC concluded that there was new information to support an argument that Mr Kulunk had been deprived of an appropriate reduction to his sentence in relation to assistance he provided to the investigating authorities.

As a result of the legal advice he was given by his counsel, Mr Kulunk believed, wrongly, that it was not necessary for the sentencing judge to be told of his willingness to assist.

In addition, it appeared that the presentation of the situation at appeal was incomplete in that, firstly, the court was not made aware of the terms of the advice given to Mr Kulunk and, secondly, the court may have been led into thinking that it was not until after sentencing that Mr Kulunk first intimated a willingness to assist the authorities.

The CCRC referred the sentence in November 2005.

The Court of Appeal reduced the sentence in November 2006.