Notable Criminal Cases – 2021
R v N-SHEFFIELD CROWN COURT-MURDER-POSSESS FIREARM WITH INTENT TO ENDANGER LIFE
Our client was found not guilty of murder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and criminal damage following a 6-week trial at Sheffield Crown Court.
Following a drive-by shooting in Doncaster in January 2021, a police investigation named Operation Sweep Mike commenced. This was a complex investigation involving CCTV, call data, and cell site evidence, resulting in the arrest of our client.
It was established that our client was travelling in the car with the shooter. However, he denied participation in the crime or intention to participate in the crime. In support of our client’s case, we instructed a telecommunications expert to examine the telephone evidence served upon us. This was helpful in proving his innocence.
Our client was the only defendant to be found not guilty of all charges by the jury. Four others were found guilty of either murder or manslaughter.
R v L CROYDON CROWN COURT
Our client was charged with Murder, Conspiracy to Rob and Conspiracy to Kidnap. This relates to an incident whereby it was alleged that 4 males armed with a knife attended the Victim’s home address with a settled intention to rob him.
It is the Crown’s case that the defendants had forced their way into the Victim’s flat and took him out onto the street across the road and when he resisted, he was stabbed in the heart. Our client was placed at the scene by CCTV and cell-site analysis. Furthermore, our client’s vehicle was alleged to have been used during the course of the commission of the offence. Following a lengthy 6-week trial at Croydon Crown Court, our client was acquitted of all charges.
R V S WOOD GREEN CROWN COURT
Our client was charged with attempted GBH, Section 18 on a police officer, aggravated vehicle taking and possession of an offensive weapon. Our client is alleged to have driven at an officer in a stolen Mercedes and then rammed into a police van. He was also charged in relation to a separate matter of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. This incident involved our client being pursued by an officer on foot and eventually cornered. The officer alleged that the client produced a firearm which was also caught on body worn footage. The client then allegedly made off from the officer.
Our client had a two week trial at Wood Green Crown Court where at half time he was found not guilty of possession with a firearm with intent, followed by not guilty verdicts on the attempted GBH Section 18, aggravated vehicle taking and possession of an offensive weapon.
R V DDH BIRMINGHAM CROWN COURT
Our client was charged with Murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, in connection with an incident which took place on the 26th August 2020. Around 1230 hours in broad daylight and in a public location, two groups of individuals, each group armed with a firearm, opened fire on each other. 10 shots were fired, two of which struck the victim from point-blank range whilst he was seated in the driver seat of his car.
The victim died from his injuries. Whilst CCTV showed our client was not the shooter, it showed our client run alongside the driver’s door of the vehicle to the front, before looking in the windscreen, pointing, and running back to the driver’s door where the victim was, whilst his co-defendant followed behind with the gun in his outstretched right arm. Our client was seen opening the driver’s door and leaning into the car on at least 3 occasions, punching the victim numerous times, then stepping back as the co-defendant fired inside the car. It was the Crown’s case that our client engaged in a joint enterprise by way of aiding, abetting and supplying the firearm to his younger associate.
On the 22nd June 2021, our client was convicted of a lesser offence and acquitted of Murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
R V T HARROW CROWN COURT
Our client was charged with Possession of a Firearm with Intent to Endanger Life, Possession of Ammunition with Intent to Endanger Life, Possession of a Firearm and Possession of Ammunition.
Our client was charged after it was alleged that he was in possession of a Nike bag which contained a loaded firearm. His DNA was also found on a separate firearm almost a year later.
Following a 9-day trial at Harrow Crown Court, he was found Not Guilty on all counts.
R v E INNER LONDON CROWN COURT
Our client was charged with GBH S18 Wounding with intent, robbery, and possession of a bladed article in this matter. The victim was stabbed multiple times after the assailant stole his card and bike.
Our client was charged after he was caught on CCTV using the Monzo card stolen from the victim minutes after the robbery.
The defendant gave evidence during his trial, detailing another individual providing him with the stolen card and bike. He never disposed of these items as he did not suspect that they were stolen.
Following a four day trial, our client was acquitted of all charges.
R V M WOOLWICH CROWN COURT
Our client was charged with conspiracy to be knowingly concerned in a fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on prohibited weapons and conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited weapons. The weapons included submachine and hand guns with ammunition.
At the time of this conspiracy he was a serving prisoner. It was the prosecution’s case that he was involved as a link between two of his co-defendants. Phone evidence was disclosed showing messages between said defendants on a mobile telephone found in the defendant’s possession. That firearms in text messages were discussed with the lead defendant who had pleaded guilty. Notwithstanding this, following a six week trial, our client was acquitted on both counts.
R V M-INNER LONDON CROWN COURT
Our client was charged with possession of a prohibited firearm after the police recovered a Skorpion sub-machine gun and hand gun. We made a submission of no case to answer at the midway point of the trial at Inner London Crown Court where the case was being heard. Our submissions were successful and the charge against our client was dismissed.
R V L J-SNARESBROOK CROWN COURT
This matter related to the murder of a 35 year old man in 2017. Several people were charged with the murder and one of the defendant’s turned Queen’s evidence, admitting responsibility for the killing and providing the Crown with evidence against our client. At that time, our client had not been charged with the murder. The informant stated that the murder was carried out under the instruction of our client. He also gave evidence of other offences which he carried out with our client, which formed other counts on the indictment. Our client pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to supply Class A drugs, heroin, and crack cocaine. He denied his involvement in any other offences. Following a three week trial, our client was acquitted on all counts considered at trial; murder, robbery, possession of a prohibited firearm and s18 GBH.