Crime News

Gemma White, leading Thomas Acworth, secure convictions in multi-handed youth trial for causing GBH

13th May 2022

3PB barrister Gemma White, pictured here, leading Thomas Acworth, also pictured, secured convictions in multi-handed youth trial for causing GBH. On Thursday 12th May 2022 a jury at Hove Crown Court returned guilty verdicts against three young defendants following a complex and sensitive three week trial, arising out of a sustained and frenzied assault on a 46 year old care worker in a park in Worthing on Easter Sunday 2021. Two teenage boys, aged 14...

Pupil Success  - Oliver Hirsch obtains suspended sentence in serious knife case

9th May 2022

3PB barrister Oliver Hirsch (pictured here), a second six pupil coming to the end of his first month on his feet, has obtained a suspended sentence for a client charged with extremely serious allegations involving a bladed article. Our client, who suffered from several mental health issues, pleaded guilty and due the severity of the charges was facing a starting point of 18 months in custody, even though this was his first offence. Oliver was...

At the end of last year, Sir Christopher Bellamy’s review of criminal legal aid recommended a number of actions which urgently needed to be taken in order to stop and reverse the decades long decline of the publicly funded bar due to under investment.  His proposals were well-considered and based upon a multitude of evidence he had obtained from a wide variety of sources. In recent weeks, members of the Criminal Bar Association have voted...

Christopher Pix’s client acquitted of resisting arrest and assault

5th April 2022

3PB specialist criminal barrister Christopher Pix (pictured here), successfully represented a client charged with assaulting an emergency worker and resisting arrest. The American citizen faced potentially damning evidence from a PC and PCSO, together with Body Worn Video. The client was an overstayer. He had been due to return to the US, but had been unable to do so. The Crown’s case was that he resisted lawful arrest and in doing so assaulted an emergency...

Jodie Mittell represented taxi driver who had numerous rape allegations dropped

5th April 2022

3PB criminal barrister, Jodie Mittell, (pictured here) was instructed to represent a man from the Isle of Wight who was accused of raping six women over a period of 10 years. The 26 year old man of previous good character had been due to stand trial at Portsmouth Crown Court and his trial had been scheduled to last for four weeks from 4th April 2022. As part of his defence, Miss Mittell made a number...

Berenice Mulvanny secures a rare Bind Over for a client charged with assaulting an emergency work

31st March 2022

3PB specialist criminal barrister Berenice Mulvanny, pictured here, successfully represented a client charged with assaulting an emergency worker, securing a rare Bind Over at Bournemouth Crown Court after the Prosecution agreed to offer no evidence in exchange for the defendant agreeing to be bound over in the sum of £400 for 12-months. A 47-year-old woman of good character was alleged to have assaulted a police officer in Bournemouth on 22nd August 2021. Once fairly common...

Thomas Acworth’s client acquitted of causing death by careless driving

21st March 2022

3PB’s specialist crime barrister Thomas Acworth, pictured here, recently acted for a lorry driver, who was accused of killing an elderly motorist in road traffic collision. The driver was reversing his flat-bed lorry into a building site when the deceased’s vehicle collided with him.  The Crown alleged that he had not checked his mirrors prior to carrying out the manoeuvre.   The deceased suffered two brain haemorrhages. Having analysed the medical evidence in detail, Thomas decided...

Berenice Mulvanny successfully represents client in bribery case

16th March 2022

3PB specialist criminal barrister Berenice Mulvanny, pictured here, successfully represented Doctor David Turner, one of four defendants charged with numerous counts of bribery relating to his time working for the NHS on the Isle of Wight. This was a complex case concerning allegations of accepting bribes from pharmaceutical companies to promote drugs within the NHS. The Prosecution alleged that Dr Turner and other senior NHS officials 'exploited' the health service by accepting almost £70,000 in...

Nick Robinson’s client found not guilty of assault; highlighting the importance of the Section 28 Procedure

15th March 2022

The case centred on whether the defendant committed a serious sexual assault against his 5-year old niece. The defendant denied the allegation and contended that his niece was either mistaken or wrongly attributing to him the behaviour of another family member. The case involved sensitive third party disclosure and an application pursuant to section 41 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. The social services records indicated previous reports by the complainant to her parents and a...

Criminal defence barrister Nick Robinson judges Moot final at the Supreme Court

2nd March 2022

3PB’s specialist criminal defence barrister Nick Robinson has just acted as judge for the University of Warwick and Warwick Law Society ‘Internal Mooting Final’ held at the Supreme Court. Finalists Ambrose Yu, Sacha Houghton, Connor Neo Xue Ern and Bernard Carr-de Avelon competed in Court Room 1 of the Supreme Court. Nick judged the submissions in a fictional appeal where the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) gave leave to appeal certifying two questions of law of general public...

Nick Robinson successfully appeals against sentence in the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

24th February 2022

3PB criminal defence barrister Nick Robinson (pictured here) represented PS who was sentenced to 6 years’ imprisonment for serious sexual offences against two victims. Nick’s written grounds of appeal persuaded the Single Judge Mr Justice Jacobs to grant leave to appeal against sentence. Following oral submissions before the Full Court, Lord Justice Bean, Mr Justice Sweeny and HHJ Griffiths-Jones QC The Recorder of Maidstone, Nick successfully argued that the sentence of 6 years was manifestly...

Nick Robinson successfully defends Chinese doctor over allegations of serious sexual assaults by a disabled patient

21st February 2022

3PB criminal defence barrister Nick Robinson (pictured here) successfully defended Hongwei Dong, a Chinese doctor and acupuncturist at his trial at Bournemouth Crown Court. Dr Dong was charged with seven counts of sexual assault against a disabled patient, aged in her 30's, between October and December 2018 at We Care Remedy in Commercial Road. Six of the allegations involved penetration. After a trial lasting eight days the jury returned unanimous not guilty verdicts on all counts...