Notable Criminal Cases – 2017
R V E A-S– MURDER- CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT
This was a case that was underpinned by gang related violence. The Defendant was charged alongside one other and was accused of the murder of a gang member from East London. It was alleged that he had stabbed the victim in an unprovoked attack. The case was heavily reliant upon CCTV and telephone evidence.
R V S – MURDER – BIRMINGHAM CROWN COURT
The Defendant who was from South London was accused of the murder of an alleged London based gang member at a party in Leicester. The case was investigated by the Midlands Major Crime Team and led to their enquiring into other knife related crime in this area. 2 other alleged gang members from South London were also charged in connection with these offences.
R V L – MURDER – LEWES CROWN COURT
The Defendant was charged alongside three others in relation to the murder of a man in Crawley. The motivation for this offence was alleged to have been drawn from illicit drug dealing in the Sussex area. The Defendant conceded that he had struck the fatal blow using a kitchen knife but advanced self-defence as an explanation for this. After a fully contested trial he was acquitted of murder.
R V M – MURDER – CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT
The Defendant was a youth that was accused of stabbing the victim to death in Harrow. The alleged motivation was gang related and driven by a desire for revenge. This case involved a number of sensitive issues due to the Defendants being youths. After a full trial the Defendant was the only one to be acquitted. Both of his Co Defendants were convicted of murder.
R V H – ATTEMPTED MURDER – CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT
This case concerned an armed robbery in East London. The alleged victim was shot at close range by the perpetrators. Operation Trident investigated the case and utilised telephone attribution/cell site evidence and CCTV. This case attracted considerable media attention.
R V B – ATTEMPTED MURDER – CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT
This Defendant was accused of the attempted murder of a police officer who was conducting surveillance in the East End of London. This case was heavily publicised and was investigated by Homicide and Major Crime Command. The investigation that was undertaken was complex and reliant upon CCTV as well as cell site evidence.
The Defendant was acquitted of attempted murder after trial.
R V K –POSSESSION OF FIREARM WITH INTENT – WOOLWICH CROWN COURT
The Defendant was arrested by Operation Trident following a shooting in South East London. He was alleged to be in the company of a single accomplice in the course of attempting to fire shots at members of the travelling community. The case involved telephone and forensic evidence.
R V S– CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT ROBBERY AND HAVING FIREARM WITH INTENT – MAIDSTONE CROWN COURT
This was a large scale armed robbery case which resulted in a trial involving multiple Defendants that lasted for 3 months. It was alleged that a travellers’ site in Kent had been the subject of a robbery by a gang of men armed with firearms. A complex and detailed investigation ensued.
R V E AND K – POSSESSION OF FIREARM WITH INTENT – INNER LONDON CROWN COURT
The Defendants were arrested by Operation Trident as part of an intelligence led surveillance operation. It was alleged that the first Defendant had travelled to Stockwell and fired shots at a rival gang member in order to exact revenge for being assaulted by him. The firearm was recovered on the person of the second Defendant who conceded that he was in possession of it but denied any intention to use it. Operation Trident analysed the Defendant’s phones and produced downloads in furtherance of their case. Both Defendant’s were acquitted of the main charge of possession of firearms with intent after trial.
R V T AND N-B – CONSPIRACY TO TRANSFER FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION – SNARESBROOK CROWN COURT
The Defendants represented by SVS were charged following a raid on a flat in East London by armed Police and Operation Trident. 11 Handguns, an assault rifle, ammunition for each of the weapons and 11 silencers were seized.
CCTV evidence was recovered which established that both Defendants were at the scene and telephone analysis linked them to the alleged conspiracy but they were both acquitted after a lengthy trial during the course of which neither Defendant gave evidence.