Crime News

Graham Gilbert successfully prosecutes Holiday Inn Express for health and safety breach

25th November 2021

3PB’s specialist crime and regulatory law barrister, Graham Gilbert (pictured here) was recently successful in prosecuting the Holiday Inn Express, Dunstable for a health and safety breach. In November 2018, a Holiday Inn Express employee was instructed by a manager to empty and clean a commercial oil fryer in the kitchen. The member of staff picked up the filled container and was immediately burned from hot oil melting through the thin plastic container that had...

Berenice Mulvanny successfully defends accused with significant mental health issues

22nd November 2021

3PB criminal barrister Berenice Mulvanny (pictured here) successfully defended a client of good character with significant mental health vulnerabilities charged with historic rape and sexual assault of a 4-year-old. The jury at Southampton Crown Court took less than 45 minutes to return unanimous not guilty verdicts after hearing the evidence and closing submissions from Miss Mulvanny. The trial involved sensitive cross-examination of the complainant, complaint evidence and issues of character. The client had longstanding and...

Thomas Acworth’s client acquitted of sexual assault

15th November 2021

3PB criminal barrister Thomas Acworth (pictured) saw his client, DN, has been acquitted of sexual assault following a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court. DN was a driving instructor of previous good character. Under Thomas’ cross-examination, it emerged that the complainant had told lies to the police, provided a partisan selection of her text-message history with DN to the police and deleted some messages from her phone. The impact of the questioning on the complainant’s credibility...

Graham Gilbert successfully defends client against money laundering charges

10th November 2021

In R v James & Others at Snaresbrook Crown Court in London, 3PB's crime and regulatory barrister Graham Gilbert secured the acquittal of a client initially charged with money laundering in 2017. His client, Mr James, alleged that he had been duped by criminals into allowing money to pass through his account. Graham’s preparation and cross-examination allowed for the identification of a man who fitted the description given by Mr James in his police interview. The jury...

Graham Gilbert appears in first Court of Appeal decision on Knives Act 1997 (section 1)

8th November 2021

3PB crime and regulatory barrister Graham Gilbert appeared before the Court of Appeal in R v STC LIMITED [2021] EWCA Crim 1237 in July 2021 representing three parties charged with offences under section 1 Knives Act 1997 (unlawful marketing of the items). The Court noted that, in its extensive experience, it had never been required to consider this piece of legislation previously. The matter is of particular note as, in coming to its decision, the Court...

Jane Rowley in successful sentence appeal at the Court of Appeal 

4th November 2021

3PB criminal barrister Jane Rowley (pictured here) achieved a reduction of 5 years from the 14 years originally imposed on the Appellant, reducing the term to 9 years following her successful appeal on the 4th November to the Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal [R v Ryland]. The Court agreed with her submissions that the original sentencing Judge had passed a sentence which was wrong in principle and manifestly excessive, and that all custodial...

Regulatory law barrister Sunyana Sharma volunteers for Advocate

5th October 2021

3PB’s specialist regulatory law and inquests barrister, Sunyana Sharma (pictured here) recently assisted on a criminal law matter for the pro bono charity of the Bar, Advocate. Sunyana’s client was extremely thankful to Sunyana and sent the following feedback to Advocate - “Ms Sharma was extremely professional, supportive and helpful. We had a positive outcome at court and she worked on my case throughout her annual leave which I have nothing but respect and deepest...

Nick Robinson successfully defends in a number of notable cases this summer

28th September 2021

3PB criminal defence barrister Nick Robinson (pictured here) has defended in a number of notable cases this summer, which stand out for their unusual facts and the exceptional nature of the results. In R v AR (Southampton Crown Court), Nick defended a man at his sentence hearing in respect of an offence of Possessing a Prohibited Firearm, a sawn-off shotgun. He fell to be sentenced to a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment. The...

Jonathan Underhill secures only acquittal in money laundering case at Inner London Crown Court

17th September 2021

Jonathan Underhill’s client SB was unanimously acquitted following a seven-day trial at the Inner London Crown Court. The Prosecution alleged that SB was one of a number of persons involved in the conversion of criminal property, namely the proceeds of a $1.2million (USD) payment diversion fraud. Funds were fraudulently obtained from an international bank, and subsequently transferred across the globe via the first defendant and other persons and ultimately to SB and his company. Jonathan...

Thomas Acworth’s client unanimously acquitted in drug dealer torture trial

20th August 2021

Thomas Acworth’s client, TH, has been acquitted of false imprisonment, possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, making threats to kill, robbery and ABH following a three week trial at Winchester Crown Court. The prosecution alleged that, together with two others, TH tortured a drug user in her flat for several hours.  The ordeal was said to have involved inflicting injuries with a hammer, threats to remove the victim’s eyelids with a...

Congratulations to Christopher Pix

20th August 2021

Having completed his third six pupillage, Chambers is delighted to congratulate and welcome criminal law barrister Christopher Pix, pictured here, as a member of 3PB. Adam Feest KC, Head of 3PB’s 37-strong Crime team said: "I am absolutely delighted Christopher has become a tenant at Chambers. He worked exceptionally hard during a third six pupillage and the COVID pandemic did not stand in the way of his desire to excel and impress. I welcome Christopher...

Sarah Langford featured on cover of Counsel magazine, “Called to the Baa!”

4th June 2021

3PB’s barrister-author Sarah Langford features on the cover of this month’s Counsel magazine, after an interview with Chris Henley QC, former Chair of the Criminal Bar Association, about the parallels between farming and farmers, and the law and barristers, and the dilemmas of combining young children with continued practice at the Bar. As the feature explains, Sarah Langford’s brilliant first book “In Your Defence: Stories of Life and Law” was published in 2018 and her...