Largest and most prolific team of expert criminal law barristers on the Western circuit

Tom Horder and Jodie Mittell's criminal law barristers team at 3PB rightly enjoys a formidable reputation and its barristers are instructed in complex high-profile cases on the Western and other Circuits. Building upon a great tradition that has seen criminal law being practised at 3 Paper Buildings for over 100 years, we have a large and market leading team of silks and juniors, backed by a highly regarded team of specialist criminal clerks.

Legal 500 lists that 3PB’s Criminal team is “the monopoly on the Western Circuit," and possessed "great strength in depth" The criminal team is "An excellent and well-respected set, one of the foremost sets on the Western Circuit." and offers “an impressive array of Criminal practitioners.” The independent legal survey ranks both 3PB's Crime team and Business and Regulatory Crime (incl. Health and Safety) in the Top Tier, adding that "3PB 'is one of the forefront chambers in Western Circuit and a has a well-deserved reputation for quality representation for both prosecution and defence." ‘The range and depth of counsel in this set is ideal, allowing an almost bespoke tailoring of counsel and client fit,’ members are frequently instructed in “matters ranging from serious sexual offences to terrorism. The team represents an array of defendants as well as the CPS and other prosecuting authorities.” Chambers & Partners reports that 3PB is “well respected for its excellent breadth and depth of advocates," as well as its “handling of high-profile cases involving sexual abuse, drugs charges and violent crime.” 3PB Barristers houses "various heavyweight counsel able to do the entire range of cases". The team regularly undertakes work relating to crimes of the utmost gravity, including homicides, terror offences and large-scale drugs conspiracies. Regulatory criminal matters and cases involving both recent and historic sexual offences are also key areas of strength for the set, and members have experience acting for both the prosecution and the defence.

As a specialist criminal barristers chambers we have particular expertise in regulatory criminal offences, receiving instructions from government agencies, local authorities, businesses, insurers and private individuals. Our reputation has also been recently highlighted by the former head of chambers Nigel Lickley KC being appointed as a Circuit Judge at the Central Criminal Court and 3PB being awarded a certificate of congratulations from the Chief Constable of Hampshire.

With offices in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Bournemouth, Oxford and Winchester all equipped with modern conferencing and video link facilities, we are able to provide a comprehensive and professional service to all.

We welcome direct instructions from both businesses and members of the public under the direct access scheme and are able to offer bespoke criminal law barrister services and fee structures to private clients unable or unwilling to access public funding.

Recent cases include:

• R-v-Higgins - high profile historic sexual offences case involving Southampton FC youth coach.
• Cheeki Rafiki - 4 sailors lost on a sailing yacht in the Atlantic. Prosecution for failure to properly maintain the vessel resulting in the worse consequences.
• Operation Endorse - multi handed revenge shooting by London drug dealers against a rival Portsmouth gang.
• R v Kevin Downton - case regarding the murder of businessman Guy Hedger.
• Huntingdon terror plot - Two defendants extradited from the Netherlands, sentenced for their part in a blackmail that stemmed from a campaign involving animal rights extremism, concluded in 2018.
• Metropolitan Police drug operation - resulted in a Hampshire prosecution that conclude with total sentence of 24 and a half years. for the traffickers
• Large scale importation of firearms in the Midlands - Multi handed conspiracy involved dozens of guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
• R v Abukaber - representing the defendant charged with the use of acid during a robbery involving A drugs
• HSE-v-Southern Gas - High profile health and safety prosecution, resulting from a breach of gas resulting in a  large explosion. Company fines £1.2m

Stuart Pringle is the Group's Practice Director. His secure email address is [email protected] . The group's practice management team can be reached at [email protected]. Additional contact details below.