• david richards profile 560x670 1

    Top criminal and regulatory barrister David Richards appointed as a Circuit Judge

    We are delighted to announce that the King has appointed 3PB’s criminal and regulatory barrister David Richards (pictured here) to be a Circuit Judge with effect from Monday 9 October 2023. David has been deployed to the South Eastern Circuit and will be based at the Inner London Crown Court. Called to the Bar in 1989, David Richards has been a Recorder for the last four years and was head of 3PB's successful Public and...

    Continue reading
  • Rebecca McKnight 1

    Rebecca McKnight secures unanimous acquittal of a client charged with supplying Class A drugs

    3PB’s specialist criminal law barrister Rebecca McKnight (pictured here) has successfully secured an acquittal for her client of two charges of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and two charges of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, after a trial at Southampton Crown Court. The defendant was a vulnerable person who had been facing these allegations for almost 2 years. If found guilty, the defendant would have likely faced a period...

    Continue reading
  • Nick Robinson 560x670 2

    Nick Robinson’s client found Not Guilty of possessing 1kg of cocaine with intent to supply

    3PB specialist criminal defence barrister Nick Robinson represented CL at his trial at Oxford Crown Court for possessing a class A drug with intent to supply. On 13 February 2023, officers from Scotland in conjunction with Oxfordshire Constabulary, executed a stop and search warrant of CL's Mercedes vehicle in Oxford as it travelled from Hamilton, Scotland to Bournemouth, England. The police found 1kg of high purity cocaine concealed in a stage light in a box...

    Continue reading
  • ta te 1

    Thomas Acworth and Thomas Evans successfully defend clients charged with drugs offences after Operation Eternal

    Two of 3PB's crime and regulatory barristers Thomas Acworth and Thomas Evans (picture left to right) successfully represented two people arrested whilst fleeing their North London property along with a third male. In excess of 11kg of cocaine and more than £40,000 in cash was seized at the house. The execution of the search warrant of their property was part of the Metropolitan Police's Operation Eternal, a major operation launched in April 2020 to target...

    Continue reading
  • Robin Leach and Thomas Evans prosecute docker sentenced to 21 years for £118m cocaine smuggling

    Robin Leach and Thomas Evans prosecute docker sentenced to 21 years for £118m cocaine smuggling

    3PB criminal barristers Robin Leach and Thomas Evans (pictured here left to right) prosecuted a 45-year-old dock worker on a charge of co-conspiring to import 1.5 tons of cocaine valued at £118m into the UK. The man’s 21-year sentence follows his retrial at Portsmouth Crown Court, after a previous jury had been unable to reach a verdict. Two of the docker’s co-conspirators were previously jailed for 14 and 13 years respectively, having admitted their guilt....

    Continue reading
  • Jonathan Underhill

    Jonathan Underhill secures acquittal in rape case

    3PB's specialist criminal and regulatory barrister Jonathan Underhill’s 28 year-old client was acquitted of charges of rape and intentional strangulation less than a week before trial. Despite prolonged and protracted attempts to gain access to his client’s phone, which had been retained by police investigators; a comprehensive review of that telephone material was undertaken by his defence team following its provision being directed by the Court. Jonathan uncovered vital exculpatory evidence which fundamentally undermined the...

    Continue reading
  • Oliver Hirsch 1

    Oliver Hirsch’s client acquitted of Class A drugs supply

    3PB Barrister’s (3 Paper Buildings) criminal barrister Oliver Hirsch (pictured here) saw his client acquitted by a jury of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, after trial at Bournemouth Crown Court. The prosecution had accused the defendant of taking a leading role in the supply of cocaine. Had his client been convicted, he faced a lengthy prison sentence. The allegations dated back four years, by which time he had moved on from what was...

    Continue reading
  • Jonathan Underhill

    Jonathan Underhill secures suspended sentence in multi-million pound Conspiracy to Defraud

    "Operation Kijang" involved an investigation across multiple police areas of a national, organised crime group stealing high-specification cars to order. “Strikers” were used to present false documents to obtain bogus finance agreements with well known car dealerships around the country. The activity was widespread and carefully planned, with 17 defendants being indicted for conspiracy to defraud with a total value of over £2 million. 3PB's specialist criminal and regulatory barrister Jonathan Underhill, pictured here, acted...

    Continue reading
  • Jonathan Underhill

    Jonathan Underhill prosecutes man sentenced to 20 years for manslaughter

    Following a trial lasting some 19 days in May 2022 Draven Jewell was convicted of Manslaughter, Section 18 Wounding with intent and Section 20 Wounding resulting from a short, but violent, incident involving a large kitchen knife outside of the Royal British Legion in Lymington. Instructed for the prosecution throughout the case Jonathan Underhill (pictured here), initially led by Adam Feest KC, undertook a sentencing hearing complicated by a significant delay to allow for medical...

    Continue reading
  • Thomas Acworth profile 560x670 280x335 1

    Thomas Acworth's client acquitted of rape

    3PB criminal barrister Thomas Acworth (pictured) saw his client, X, acquitted of rape. X was accused of raping another student after they had been clubbing together.  Following the production of text message and telephone evidence, which undermined the complainant’s credibility, the Crown decided to offer no evidence against X on the first day of his trial. Thomas was instructed by Paige Schooley of Tang, Bentley & Jackson. To instruct Thomas, please email his clerk, Practice...

    Continue reading
  • 20230318 104609 bw scaled

    Open Day at Winchester Crown Court attracts 5,000 visitors

    This Saturday 18 March saw Winchester Crown Court open its doors to the public, attracting over 5,000 people to an event organised by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Criminal Justice Board and Her Majesty’s Court and Tribunal Service. Visitors were able to visit prison cells and vans, learn about career opportunities in criminal justice and see a mock trial staged by real judges, barristers, solicitors and police officers. 3PB's Winchester office had a starring...

    Continue reading
  • Oliver Hirsch

    12-month sentencing powers for magistrates reversed – but why?

    Oliver Hirsch, criminal law and personal injury barrister at 3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings) discusses the abolition of the 12-month sentencing powers given to magistrates last year. In May 2022, the maximum custodial sentence that the magistrates’ court could hand down for a single either way offence doubled from 6 to 12 months, however this has been revoked less than a year later, with the 6-month limit coming back into force on 30 March 2023....

    Continue reading