Ms I

Ms I was convicted in September 2007 of possessing a false identity document with intent and received a four months’ detention and training order.

The CCRC received an application for review of the conviction in August 2009.

Ms I, a Nigerian national, was arrested for trying to board an Air Canada flight with a false UK passport.

Ms I claimed in interview that she was trying to escape the UK and had never owned or been issued with a Nigerian passport.

She pleaded guilty to an offence under the Identity Cards Act 2006. An application for asylum was rejected.

Following review, the CCRC concluded that there was credible evidence indicating that Ms I was a victim of human trafficking.

The CCRC found that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had failed to consider that Ms I may have been a victim of human trafficking and failed to reach an informed decision in accordance with guidance and caselaw.

Had the CPS considered the relevant issues at the time, there was a real possibility the CPS would not have prosecuted Ms I and/or the Youth Court would have concluded that Ms I had acted under a nexus of compulsion.

There was, therefore, a real possibility the Crown Court would quash the conviction and stay any future proceedings as an abuse of process.

The CCRC referred the conviction in March 2011.

The Crown Court quashed the conviction in July 2011.