Key Facts
- •Simon Coombes convicted of vaginal and oral rape.
- •Co-defendant Luke Sullivan also convicted of rape.
- •Coombes applied for an extension of time to appeal conviction and sentence.
- •Significant delays in appealing, attributed to various factors including legal advice, prison conditions, and mental health issues.
- •Coombes made numerous complaints about his trial counsel and solicitors.
- •The Crown argued the convictions were safe.
- •Coombes applied to adduce fresh evidence.
- •Coombes received an extended sentence of 17 years 6 months.
Legal Principles
Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992: Restrictions on publishing information identifying victims of sexual offences.
Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992
Criminal Appeal Act 1968, s. 23(2): Court's power to receive fresh evidence if necessary or expedient in the interests of justice.
Criminal Appeal Act 1968
R v Gray & Others [2014] EWCA Crim 2372: Court's power to make loss of time orders to discourage unmeritorious applications.
R v Gray & Others [2014] EWCA Crim 2372
Outcomes
Coombes' application for extension of time to appeal conviction refused.
No reasonable excuse for delay, and no merit in grounds of appeal; convictions safe.
Coombes' application for extension of time to appeal sentence refused.
Sentence within appropriate range, considering aggravating factors and lack of sufficient mitigating circumstances.
Loss of time order made: 56 days not to count towards sentence.
Numerous unmeritorious applications wasted court time and resources.