Two people accused of selling fake wristbands for music festivals have been finally acquitted at London’s Court of Appeal. In January, a judge at Portsmouth Crown Court ruled that Sherell Davenport, of Surbiton Grove, Ryde, and Jacob Cloud, of Luccombe Road, Shanklin, had no case to answer.
They had been charged with a conspiracy to sell fake wristbands across the country between 2005 and 2007, but the Crown’s evidence was focused on the 2007 Isle of Wight Festival. In a very rare move, lawyers for the prosecution sought to have Judge Gareth Cowling’s decision overturned and the pair’s prosecution re-started. Appeal Court judges were told the Crown should have been allowed to amend its case.
But Sir Anthony May, sitting with Mrs Justice Rafferty and Mrs Justice Swift, said that it could not be argued that Judge Cowling’s decision was wrong. “Each of these defendants was only established to have been involved in acquiring and selling wristbands for the 2007 Isle of Wight Festival, but the Crown alleged a wide-ranging conspiracy going back to 2005,” said Sir Anthony. “There was no evidence to suggest they were party to any agreement to act unlawfully in 2005 and 2006, or any evidence they agreed to be party to anything other than activities at the Isle of Wight Festival in 2007.”
The judge ordered that not guilty verdicts be entered against Ms Davenport and Mr Cloud, who had both vigorously denied any wrongdoing. The court was told Ms Davenport, 30, was alleged by the prosecution to have scanned a photograph of a wristband for the 2007 Isle of Wight Festival into her computer and sent it to one of her co-accused. Mr Cloud, 40, was alleged to have been involved in selling fake wristbands.
Two other men, who pleaded guilty, one to conspiracy to defraud and one to fraud, are yet to be sentenced. The Crown alleged the entire conspiracy involved 20,000 fake wrist bands and netted £1 million.
Story Curtosy of Isle of Wight News
Wristband 4 Festivals 