Dapinder Singh KC, instructed by Natasha McDermott of Carters Solicitors, and leading Aneurin Brewer from 18 Red Lion Court, secures the acquittal of a 19 year old defendant of murder and attempted murder. The defendant had stabbed a male in the back seven times and once to his shoulder.   He further stabbed a second male in the neck twice.  The defendant accepted causing the injuries to both individuals but said he acted in self defence.   Media links: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/westminster-murder-21-omar-abdullah-metropolitan-police-arrest-two-men-b1045251.html https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/london-stabbing-westminster-omar-abdullah-b2235686.html https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/breaking-two-teenagers-arrested-heathrow-28668016  

Chambers congratulates Darren Snow on completion of his term sitting on barrister disciplinary tribunals for TBTAS. Darren has sat for 6 years as a barrister member on a range of cases against barristers including several high-profile cases. Darren is recognized in the Legal 500 as a leading junior in professional discipline with a focus upon defence work in healthcare, finance and the legal professions. He continues to sit as an LQC in police disciplinary tribunals and as a panel member with several sports governing bodies. For further information on Darren Snow and our professional disciplinary team please speak to our clerks.  

Adam Kane KC and Andrew Alty secured the acquittal of a solicitor charged with a £10 million conspiracy to defraud, following an 11 week trial at Liverpool. The conspiracy related to the financing and re-financing of commercial property developments, and the fraudulent registration and removal of charges and debentures at HM Land Registry and Companies House. The solicitor Jonathan Gorman, instructing Richard Derby at Potter Derby LLP,  gave evidence for a week, in his defence. Andrew, instructed by Mr Derby, had earlier stayed a related private prosecution. A property developer and a former banker await sentence. Media links to follow…

James Walker’s defendant acquitted in Operation Uvrou, the “Gray’s Inn bomb” counter terrorism command prosecution at the Central Criminal court that ran for 14 weeks. Instructed by Sarah Housley of Cunninghams Lythgoe Caplin Ltd.   https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/aug/18/businessman-found-guilty-of-plotting-to-plant-bombs-in-london https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-66544098 https://www.itv.com/news/london/2023-08-18/businessman-guilty-of-london-bomb-plot-over-14m-legal-row https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12421115/Businessman-plotted-plant-two-bombs-Londons-legal-district-1-4million-wrangle-NCA-guilty.html https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/businessman-planned-bomb-london-offices-27548763 https://news.sky.com/story/businessman-jonathan-nuttall-guilty-of-plotting-to-plant-bombs-in-london-12942273 https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/23732820.romsey-businessman-jonathan-nuttall-found-guilty-bomb-plot/  

Felicity Gerry KC was interviewed on Sky News today about the absence of Lucy Letby in Court. Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering children in her care as a neonatal nurse. She was said to have refused to attend her sentencing hearing today, although she was in the cells at Manchester Crown Court. Members of the grieving families and the public and some politicians had suggested she should be forced to attend. Felicity explained that, however serious the crimes before the court, the system must maintain humanity: This includes restorative justice processes to enable victim personal statements to be given. It also means we should not be using sentencing hearings for denunciation or retribution and this includes not forcing attendance. Most people do attend their sentences but there are a range of reasons why a few do not. Young people, for example, sometimes refuse because they will lose their ‘home’ and their stability if they attend court and are sent back to a different prison. To allow restorative justice processes develop, we can consider removing draconian mandatory penalties so that accused persons can engage more in the outcome with more detailed plea hearing as in Australia but shackling / dragging people into court is not the solution. We don’t know the real reasons for Lucy Letby’s absence but, Felicity said rather than focus on her we should be thinking about how our criminal justice system can be improved. Lucy Letby has been given a whole-life sentence. The 33-year-old was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six other infants at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Darren Snow, instructed by Mayfair Solicitors, represented his client ED at his recent appeal against conviction and sentence at Lincoln Crown Court in respect of convictions for 4 separate s.172 RTA offences. The Defendant had not been represented in the magistrate’s court. The magistrates court imposed a total of 24 points on his driving licence leading to a 2-year driving ban with fines and costs of nearly £3000. Darren’s client had a disabled daughter and worked as a driver so the impact upon his work and family was very serious. Following Darren’s submissions at court and negotiations with the prosecution, the case was resolved with a single conviction for one offence of s.172 – that meant 6 points and no disqualification from driving. The fine was reduced as a single offence to £180 with no prosecution costs imposed. Darren also secured a defence costs order from central funds on the basis of a successful appeal against conviction and sentence.

Adam Kane KC acted for Mohammed Patel, the only defendant acquitted of all murder and manslaughter charges in the TikTok double murder trial. Social media influencer Mahek Bukhari and 6 others were convicted after a 12 week retrial, of double homicides involving a blackmailer threatening to expose his affair with her mother. Mr Patel, instructing Ibrahim Hussain at Londinium solicitors, ran a cut-throat defence against those convicted. Media Links below https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/tiktok-influencer-mahek-bukhari-murder-b2375263.html https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/08/04/tiktok-influencer-mother-guilty-killing-two-men/ https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/aug/04/ex-tiktok-influencer-mother-guilty-murder-leicester-mahek-ansreen-bukhari-saqib-hussain-mohammed-hashim-ijazuddin https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/aug/04/ansreen-mahek-bukhari-how-tiktok-fame-swept-up-mother-who-killed-lover-leicester https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tiktok-star-mahek-bukhari-killed-men-to-hide-her-mothers-affair-9vn9g6r7b https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-65342628 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/04/24/mahek-bukhari-tiktok-influencer-murder-trial-999-call/ https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/apr/24/tiktok-influencer-mahek-bukhari-court-alleged-murder-plot https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/tiktok-star-murdered-mums-lover-29796786 https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/murder-accused-takes-blame-fatal-7838241 https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/tiktok-mahek-bukhari-live-murder-7791276 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-63404845 https://news.sky.com/story/tiktok-influencer-and-mother-murdered-two-men-in-car-crash-over-sex-tape-blackmail-court-hears-12731865 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11365253/Cousins-chased-TikTok-influencer-died-car-split-two-100mph-crash.html

Dr Felicity Gerry KC writes for Law360 on corruption in the oil industry and compliance with ISO37001. You can access the full article (subscription) here  https://www.law360.com/articles/1705224/oil-industry-must-brush-up-on-int-l-anti-bribery-standard