R v F – An attempted murder case where I pursued my client’s instructions at an early stage and obtained a wealth of CCTV which the police did not have. I was able to use that to show that my client was not the suspect. This led to the prosecution offering no evidence and my client being released from HMP Belmarsh having been detained for 3 months.

R v A – multi-handed case where the Prosecution case was that each of the three Defendants was part of an agreement to commit the crime of facilitating, for gain, the arrival of asylum seekers to the UK from Calais via the English Channel. I was able to obtain expert evidence from charities in Calais to establish motive for the Eritrean migrants. My client was acquitted after Trial.

R v N – young person charged with an adult for possession with intent to supply drugs. A referral was made to the Single Competent Authority who concluded that there were conclusive grounds that my client was a victim of modern slavery. Following representations to the CPS no evidence was offered.

R v B – s.18 charge dismissed on establishing that the Crown had not been able to adduce any additional evidence supporting any case that the injuries sustained by the complainant were caused by an assault and none that any alleged assault that might be asserted was perpetrated by the Defendant.

R v ZYZ –guilty plea to one count of fraud and one count of possessing criminal property. The charges related to the fraudulent sale of children’s Zip Oyster Cards (age 5 to 10 years) for use by adults. The Zip Oyster Cards were sold to adults who were then able to travel on Transport for London (TfL) services for free. Issues in the case arose in how the total loss to TfL was estimated. The disparity in these figures caused significant challenges in advising my client as to a potential sentence. A Forensic Accountant was instructed to challenge the assumptions made by the prosecution, and in particular their approach and methodology to arriving at the calculated losses. The report’s conclusion provided stark alternatives to the figures proposed by the prosecution strengthening our position. My client’s mental health was significantly impacted by the proceedings. He required a high level of emotional support throughout the duration of the case, with an expert psychological report concluding that the offending was directly linked to his psychological wellbeing at the time. Despite a starting point of 5 years with a Category range of 3 to 8 years, my client was sentenced to a suspended sentence.

R v NB & Ors – allegations of kidnap, false imprisonment,, assault, possession of imitation firearms and knives. Not guilty verdict.