Natasha de Leon (Appellant) v The State of Trinidad and Tobago (Respondent) (Trinidad and Tobago)

Case summary

Case ID

JCPC/2025/0096

Jurisdiction

Trinidad and Tobago

Parties

Appellant(s)

Natasha De Leon

Respondent(s)

The State of Trinidad and Tobago

Issue

Does the High Court have jurisdiction to review the appellant’s sentence of life imprisonment after the expiration of the minimum term she was required to serve before becoming eligible for release?

Facts

In 2001, the appellant was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to life imprisonment not to be released before the expiration of twenty years. On 18 February 2003, the Court of Appeal dismissed her appeal against conviction and ordered the sentence to commence from the date of the dismissal of the appeal. By letter dated 17 May 2022, after the minimum term of twenty years had expired, the appellant wrote to the Assistant Registrar of the Supreme Court requesting a judge of the High Court review the appellant’s life sentence. On 31 January 2024, St. Clair-Douglas J declined to review the sentence. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appellant’s appeal, upholding the High Court’s decision.

Date of issue

30 September 2025

Case origin

PTA

Permission to Appeal

Justices

Lord Reed

Lord Leggatt

Lord Doherty

Permission to Appeal decision date

2 March 2026

Permission to Appeal decision

Refused

Special leave is refused as the appeal does not raise an arguable point of law of general public importance, nor is there a risk that a serious miscarriage of justice has occurred.

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