Jonathan Green’s client found Not Guilty in Encrochat cocaine trial

After less than one hour of deliberation, the jury unanimously acquitted the defendant at Maidstone Crown Court on all charges. The two week trial concerned an allegation that Michael Shortt was the head of a cocaine supply conspiracy, selling an estimated total of over 26 kilos of the drug on multiple occasions during a 3 month period. The prosecution put the value at over £1M. They also alleged that he was in possession of criminal property. Following the verdicts, Mr Shortt was released today, after nearly 2½ years on remand awaiting trial.

The chief evidence against him was from Encrochat data supplied to the police by the NCA. The prosecution relied on the content of messages, as well as cell site and ANPR data to attribute that Encrochat device to the defendant.

With the assistance of his instructing solicitor, Isaac Mirza of Cobleys in Liverpool, and a team of Encrochat, Cell Site and ANPR experts assembled by the defence, Jonathan was able to demonstrate serious, fundamental flaws in the reliability and accuracy of the evidence, which the jury clearly found persuasive.

Successful challenges to Encrochat evidence are rare, and require a detailed understanding of the technical issues for effective cross examination. Jonathan Green would particularly like to thank Dr Duncan Campbell and Dan Sutton for their assistance in securing this acquittal.