Mulugeta, Eyasu

Eyasu Mulugeta was convicted in January 2006 at Croydon Crown Court of seeking leave to remain in the United Kingdom as a refugee by deception. He pleaded guilty on the advice of a solicitor and was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment.

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

During review, the CCRC considered that in line with the Court of Appeal’s approach in the case of R v Abdalla Mohamed [2010] EWCA 2400, there was evidence to suggest that Mr Mulugeta was deprived of legal advice regarding an available statutory defence under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

On the evidence available, that defence would quite probably have succeeded.

The CCRC concluded this gave rise to a real possibility the Court of Appeal would find that, notwithstanding Mr Mulugeta’s guilty plea, the conviction was unsafe.

The CCRC referred the conviction in May 2013.

The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction in January 2015.