Crime News

Nick Robinson acts for client acquitted of multiple assaults

19th May 2025

3PB criminal defence barrister Nick Robinson (pictured here) defended MC who the prosecution alleged had non-consensual sex with his heavily pregnant girlfriend, the complainant. During the sex, he allegedly strangled her. The complainant had global learning difficulties. It was the defendant’s case that the sex and strangulation was consensual, and the complainant had been manipulated by her mother into making false allegations against MC. MC was unanimously acquitted of all charges by the jury, following...

Holly Fagan’s client acquitted of two charges of harassment with fear of violence

8th May 2025

3PB Barristers’ specialist criminal law barrister, Holly Fagan, has secured acquittals for her client, accused of harassing two people causing them to fear violence. Holly’s young client, A, heard that the first Complainant (C1) was spreading rumours about him and confronted her in a night club. This did not achieve anything so he tried to speak to her father (C2), who he knew, in the hope that he could help them resolve the situation. The allegations...

3PB celebrates success of its first six-month student placement

2nd May 2025

As part of her degree, Sophie Rogers (pictured here) - a third-year LLB Law student at the University of Winchester - has just finished a six-month placement with 3PB's Crime and Regulatory Crime team in their Winchester office. This is the first such placement run by 3PB (3 Paper Buildings) and may well be one of the very first such initiatives run by a barristers chambers in the UK. Jodie Mittell KC, who co-heads 3PB's...

Nick Robinson and Anna Leathem successfully defend client charged with multiple offences 

30th April 2025

3PB's criminal defence barrister Nick Robinson, leading crime and regulatory barrister Anna Leathem, defended “D” who was charged with multiple offences of rape, sexual assaults and coercive and controlling behaviour. The alleged offences were said to have occured over a two and a half year period. D's case was that the allegations were fabricated to gain leverage in divorce proceedings. D contended that the complainant was the controlling, coercive, and physically abusive party. The police...

Berenice Mulvanny and Graham Gilbert successfully prosecute Jordan Wilkes for attempted murder

24th April 2025

3PB (3 Paper Buildings) criminal barrister Berenice Mulvanny, leading fellow 3PB crime and regulatory team member Graham Gilbert, represented the prosecution in the notorious case of Jordan Wilkes, which was heard at Bournemouth Crown Court. Wilkes has now received a sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, with an extended licence period of 5 years. Wilkes was convicted in a five-day trial in March of attempting to murder a nine-year-old girl with a penknife. He had used...

Tom Horder successful in HSE appeal securing reduction in fine of half a million pounds

18th March 2025

Tom Horder, joint head of 3PB’s crime and regulatory crime team, represented VFS (Southampton) Limited, a manufacturer of custom works vehicles in their successful appeal against sentence. At first instance the company was fined £600,000 after entering an early guilty plea to an offence under s.2 of HSWA 1974. The prosecution arose from a 2018 incident on their assembly line. Instructed by Cliff Morris of law firm Paris Smith, Tom (pictured here) argued on appeal...

Berenice Mulvanny and Graham Gilbert successful in attempted murder prosecution

10th March 2025

3PB Barristers’ (3 Paper Buildings) Berenice Mulvanny, leading Graham Gilbert, successfully prosecuted Jordan Wilkes for the attempted murder of a 9-year-old girl. During the 5-day trial at Bournemouth Crown Court, the jury heard how Wilkes, whose internet search history showed an unhealthy interest in previous attacks on children, attacked the child with a penknife, stabbing her three times. The case has been reported widely in the media, including The Sun and Bournemouth Echo. If you...

Nick Cotter acts in Baltic Sea cargo ship fatalities case

28th February 2025

3PB's crime and regulatory specialist counsel Nicholas Cotter advised his client Sam Farrow, who was captain of the 3,500-tonne cargo ship Scot Carrier, who was facing charges in this complex maritime case. Two Danish sailors, Erik Jensen and Per Hartmann Christensen, on a Danish barge died after the Scot Carrier collided with it and their 180-ft Karin Hoj capsized in the Baltic Sea, off the southern coast of Sweden. Sam Farrow was prosecuted because he...

Holly Fagan’s client acquitted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent

26th February 2025

3PB Barristers’ (3 Paper Buildings) specialist criminal law barrister, Holly Fagan, has successfully secured an acquittal for her client, accused of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Holly’s client, K, became involved in a fight in the street after a confrontation started between males she was with. It was alleged that K participated in the fight by bottling the Complainant and causing him grievous bodily harm. The Prosecution put their case in multiple ways. They said...

Nick Robinson successful in Court of Appeal on restraining order

18th February 2025

3PB's specialist criminal defence barrister Nick Robinson successfully appealed against the imposition of a restraining order in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division in the case of R v DH [2024] EWCA Crim 1003. Nick’s client DH was charged with serious assaults against his wife, and one of his three daughters, and an offence of controlling or coercive behaviour of his wife. Following the service of a defence statement, requests for disclosure and pre-trial discussions...

Jodie Mittell to be appointed as King's Counsel

24th January 2025

3PB Barristers is very proud to announce that Jodie Mittell will be appointed King’s Counsel. She will be sworn in during a ceremony on 24 March 2025. Called to the Bar in 2004, Jodie is a highly regarded criminal specialist practising on the Western Circuit. She is instructed in the most complex of criminal cases. She has considerable experience particularly in cases involving drugs, extremism and serious violence/murder. Jodie is often instructed in challenging multi-handed...

Jonathan Underhill appointed as Grade A Panel Counsel on List of Specialist Regulatory Advocates and CPS Grade 4 Specialist Fraud Panel

6th January 2025

3PB crime and regulatory barrister Jonathan Underhill has been appointed, by the Regulatory Board that operates a Panel Counsel list on behalf of the Attorney General, to the List of Regulatory Advocates in Health and Safety and Environmental Law at Grade A. The Regulatory Board comprises the Health and Safety Executive, Environment Agency, Office of Rail and Road, Natural Resources Wales, the Care Quality Commission and the Office for Product Safety and Standards. Appointed counsel...