A man from Burnley who was convicted of sex offences in 2009 has been freed after his conviction was quashed at the Court of Appeal.
Ashley Close was sentenced to five years in prison in 2009 for alleged sex offences with a teenager. He has always maintained his innocence of the allegations and after an appeal on May 12th 2011 his conviction was quashed and no re-trial was ordered. He was immediately released.
His appeal was led by Correna Platt at Stephensons Solicitors LLP. She said: “We are very relieved at the outcome of the appeal hearing. Ashley has always stressed his innocence since the original allegations were made and now, after serving two years and three months of a five year sentence, and in addition to being wrongly labelled as a sex offender, his name has been cleared.”
ENDS
Media information: Lianne Tracey
Stephensons Solicitors LLP
T: 01942 774225
