Its hard to judge without knowing all the facts. A lawyer will look at all the evidence and advise his client based on what he thinks is in the client's best interest. That may be fighting it out in court or it may be advising the client to plead guilty to a lesser offence.
I dont know Ian Winter personally, but he has a good reputation in the UK.
I think the issue here has more to do with the sentence. Based on the facts, a guilty verdict was forgone, however, his lawyer should have made representations at the sentence hearing on any extenuating cirsumstances. 18 months is unusually harsh.
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