Nick Robinson BW scaled e1741277627459

Nick Robinson

Year of Call: 2006
Email Address: [email protected]
CJSM: [email protected]
Telephone: 01202 292 102

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Clerk Details

  • Clerk Name: Stuart Pringle
  • Clerk Telephone: 0330 332 2633
  • Clerk Email: [email protected]

Homicide (Murder and Manslaughter)

Nick has extensive experience defending in murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, and causing death by driving, appearing as both sole advocate and led junior in complex multi-defendant trials lasting up to twelve weeks. He is regularly led by some of the most prominent King's Counsel on the Western Circuit in cases attracting significant national media coverage — including BBC News, Sky News, ITV, The Guardian, The Telegraph, and the Daily Mail.

Selected Cases

R v JB — (2026) Attempted murder — knife attack. Prosecution’s forensic linguistic expert evidence excluded. Not guilty of attempted murder despite a guilty plea to s.18 wounding. Reported: Dorset Echo.

R v X (youth) — Winchester Crown Court (2025) Murder (joint enterprise) — 28-day trial before Mr Justice Linden; led by Zafar Ali KC (23 Essex Street). Four defendants stood trial arising from two linked incidents involving e-bikes being deliberately rammed by vehicles as part of an ongoing feud. Nick’s client, a youth, was alleged to have been accessories to murder in the first incident. Nick drafted and made all legal arguments, secured exclusion of bad character evidence, and made the submission of no-case to answer. The defendant did not give evidence, and the jury acquitted him of both murder and manslaughter after 33 hours of deliberation. Reported: BBC News, Daily Mail, ITV News.

R v Edward Jones — Winchester Crown Court (2024) Assisting an offender and fraud linked to a murder investigation; twelve-week trial led by Zafar Ali KC. Previous consistent statement successfully admitted under a hearsay exception. Unanimous not guilty on all counts. Reported: Daily Mail, Andover Advertiser.

R v Atiqullah Oryakhail — Bournemouth Crown Court (2024) Attempted murder; defendant aged 17, trafficked from Afghanistan, diagnosed with PTSD. Confession obtained under caution in Vienna challenged and excluded. Not guilty of attempted murder by judicial direction. Reported: Daily Mail, Daily Echo.

R v Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai — Salisbury Crown Court (2024) Murder — led by Jo Martin KC; thousands of pages of evidence, including social services records, and material from criminal and civil proceedings in Italy, Norway, and Serbia. Bad character evidence relating to a previous double murder conviction in Serbia. Reported: BBC News, ITV, Sky News, The Guardian, Daily Mail, The Telegraph.

R v Benjamin Atkins — Winchester Crown Court (2024) Murder — two-handed trial before Mrs Justice Stacey; led by Zafar Ali KC. Non-defendant bad character evidence admitted regarding the deceased’s drug dealing and violence. Convicted by majority after 33 hours of deliberation. Reported: BBC News, Sky News. Prosecution sought 30+ years; 19 years imposed on basis Court accepted defence submissions Atkins acted in excessive self-defence (sentencing remarks); AG Reference increased by only 2 years: Atkins & another [2024] EWCA Crim 1316. Reported: BBC News.

R v Jack Hindley — Winchester Crown Court (2022) Murder of a vulnerable adult. Two youth defendants alleged to have carried out a ritualistic knife attack; led by Kate Lumsdon KC. Successful applications to admit co-defendant’s bad character, and to exclude purported confession evidence. Four-week trial before Mr Justice Sweeney. Reported: BBC News, ITV.

R v Kieran Cameron — Winchester Crown Court (2015) Attempted murder. The defendant was alleged to have knocked on the door of a drug dealer's home and fired a revolver twice. The complainant instantly telephoned police and named the defendant, who was known to him. The evidence included gunshot residue, cell site, ANPR, over 100 hours of CCTV, and bad character evidence relating to both the defendant's and complainant's membership of organised crime gangs. A novel point of law arose regarding the admissibility of hearsay evidence from three eyewitnesses who refused to attend court; their comments to police at the scene suggested someone other than the defendant was the assassin. Unanimous acquittal. Led by Nigel Lickley KC. Reported: Daily Echo.

R v Teresa Sheldon — Winchester Crown Court (2015) Murder and attempted murder. The defendant killed one of her two children and severely injured the second in a suicide attempt by fire. Complex psychiatric evidence; periods of assessment under section 35 of the Mental Health Act 1983. The Crown accepted pleas to manslaughter and arson on the basis of diminished responsibility. At sentence, Mr Justice Dingemans heard victim impact evidence from the children's father in open court and resolved the discrete issue of whether to impose a sentence of imprisonment or a hospital order. Careful submissions were advanced in support of an order without restrictions, which was the sentence passed. Led by Nigel Lickley KC. Reported: BBC News.

R v Nicholas Price — Winchester Crown Court (2015) Murder and attempted murder — three-week trial. Loss of control and self-defence in a cuckooing context involving gangland violence and firearms. Led by Nigel Lickley KC. Reported: BBC News.

R v Jason Darby — Winchester Crown Court (2015) Attempted murder. Psychotic episode whilst listening to the Archers; multiple stab wounds to skull, head, and face. Crown accepted a guilty plea to s.18 GBH with intent - following service of psychiatric evidence. Reported: Daily Express and Daily Echo.

R v Nathan Robinson — Winchester Crown Court (2014) Murder. The Crown's case was that the victim was murdered for his money. The defence case was that the defendant, who had a long and complex history of mental ill-health arising from childhood trauma, denied murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility and loss of control. There was significant competing psychiatric evidence. The novel issue in the case was whether the jury were entitled, in the absence of direct evidence, to infer a loss of self-control. Led by Michael Vere-Hodge QC. Reported: BBC News.

R v Melling Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) [2014] EWCA Crim 742 — Appeal against murder conviction, Liverpool Crown Court. Reported: BBC News.

  • Recommendations

    • Court of Appeal

      In an appeal against sentence R v Sherriff [2012] EWCA Crim 2381, Lord Justice Aikens said:

      "Mr Robinson presented the arguments very concisely, clearly and persuasively."

      In an appeal against sentence R v Kluver [2010] EWCA Crim 3237, Lord Justice Moses said:

      "There is ample authority for the proposition that counsel for the defence has so skilfully identified both in his written grounds and in his oral submissions, and we are indebted to Mr Robinson for them."

      In an appeal against sentence R v Bennett [2010] EWCA Crim 1032, Mr Justice Davis said:

      "Mr Robinson, on behalf of the Appellant, has put the case very well."

      In an appeal against sentence R v Woodcock [2011] EWCA Crim 1347, Mr Justice Blair said:

      "Mr Robinson has argued the case well for the applicant."

      In an appeal against conviction R v Knight [2013] EWCA Crim 2486, Mr Justice Fulford said the written submissions were:

      "Detailed and able."

      In an appeal against sentence R v Simpson [2022] EWCA Crim 201, His Honour Judge Griffiths-Jones QC commended Nick's:

      "good judgment."

      In an appeal against sentence R v DH [2024] EWCA Crim 1003, Lord Justice Stuart-Smith said:

      "The Court is grateful to Mr Robinson for the high quality of his written submissions."

    • Chambers & Partners — Western Bar (Crime)
      Chambers UK 2026 / Crime — Western Bar > “Nicholas is a dynamic barrister. He is calm, sympathetic and gives a huge amount of effort to every case. He is a strong and persuasive advocate with an eye for persuasive arguments.”

      Chambers UK 2025 / Crime — Western Bar > “He has a great practice.” > “He is a smooth advocate who has a great way of speaking to the jury.”

      Chambers UK 2024 / Crime — Western Bar > “He is highly effective and highly skilled in all aspects of criminal defence work.” > “Clients love Nicholas. He’s a very good lawyer and a persuasive advocate.” > “Nicholas handled the cross-examination deftly but devastatingly. His ability to juggle disclosure requests, client management and legal arguments is remarkable.”

      Chambers UK 2023 / Crime — Western Bar > “He has a very client-centred approach.” > “His advocacy skills are impressive.” > “Nick is an industrious individual.”

      Chambers UK 2022 / Crime — Western Bar > “Has a very positive attitude and his written work is excellent.” > “He has an approach and flair which juries like.”

      Chambers UK 2021 / Crime — Western Bar > “He has a very good reputation and his written work is of the highest quality.”

      Chambers UK 2020 / Crime — Western Bar > “He is both responsive and proactive, and his advocacy skills are fantastic.”

      Chambers UK 2019 / Crime — Western Bar > “He is both responsive and proactive, and his advocacy skills are fantastic.”

    • Legal 500 — Western Circuit (Crime)
      Legal 500 2026 / Crime — Western Circuit > “Nick is a good barrister. He is always well-prepared and will fight his corner as required.”

      Legal 500 2025 / Crime — Western Circuit > “Nick is a committed, highly competent and effective criminal barrister. He is an effective trial advocate who gets good results, and his pleas in mitigation are always carefully constructed with great preparation.”

      Legal 500 2024 / Crime — Western Circuit > “Nick is diligent and always enthusiastic about his work. His written work is of the highest quality. He is also a very persuasive and effective advocate.”

      Legal 500 2023 / Crime — Western Circuit > “Nick is a top level operator. A first-class and fearless advocate with a very robust and incisive approach to criminal litigation. An exceptional strategist.”

      Legal 500 2022 / Crime — Western Circuit > “Nick’s strengths are his intelligence, his ability to fully engage with a jury and his thorough preparation.”

      Legal 500 2020–21 / Crime — Western Circuit > “A criminal defence specialist.”

      Legal 500 2018–19 / Crime — Western Circuit — Tier 1 > “An expert in defending in serious crime cases.”

      Legal 500 2017 / Crime — Western Circuit > “Self-assured and dedicated.”

      Legal 500 2016 / Crime — Western Circuit > “Extremely diligent in his approach to cases.”

      Legal 500 2015 / Crime — Western Circuit > “Known for his defence work in the Crown Court, and his practice has an emphasis on serious crime.”

      Legal 500 2014 / Crime — Western Circuit > “He specialises in sexual offence cases, particularly those involving children and historical allegations of misconduct.”

      Legal 500 2013 / Crime — Western Circuit > “A very confident and knowledgeable advocate.”

      Nick was also recommended by the Legal 500 for 2011 and 2012.

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