Sexual offences News

Top Scottish criminal Silk Kevin McCallum QC heads to 3PB  

26th November 2021

3PB Barristers has welcomed top Silk Kevin McCallum QC (Scot), pictured here, a former criminal defence solicitor and a Procurator Fiscal Depute in Scotland - who specialises in criminal defence work, fatal accident inquiries and inquests - to the national chambers.  He will work from its Inner Temple offices in London. Appointed as a Senior Advocate Depute in November 2006; Kevin was responsible for the preparation and conduct of a significant number of intensive, large...

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...

Two of 3PB’s specialist crime barristers feature in BBC’s new documentary ‘’Football’s Darkest Secret’’

22nd March 2021

Adam Feest QC, who heads 3PB’s group of criminal law barristers, is appearing tonight with fellow 3PB crime team counsel Berenice Mulvanny in the BBC’s new three-part documentary about child abuse in English football. The BBC’s new three part documentary ‘’Football's Darkest Secret’’ which airs tonight at 9pm on BBC One, follows a number of high profile cases involving sexual/child abuse in English football. Specialist crime barristers Adam Feest QC and Berenice Mulvanny will talk...

Regulatory/disciplinary barrister Victoria Sheppard-Jones joins 3PB  

6th January 2021

Victoria Sheppard-Jones, a specialist in financial crime and regulatory investigations, prosecutions and enforcement in the financial services and healthcare sectors, has joined national chambers 3PB Barristers from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). She has been working at the FCA on an investigation into the Anti Money Laundering and Compliance framework of a large bank. This follows two years as a complex casework lawyer at the Court of Appeal's Criminal Division. Prior to this, Victoria was...

Berenice Mulvanny successfully prosecutes sex offender in undercover operation

22nd December 2020

3PB’s specialist criminal law barrister Berenice Mulvanny (pictured here) successfully prosecuted Matthew Millen for attempting to pay for the sexual services of an 11-year-old girl. Former Bank of England employee, Matthew Millen, was found guilty of attempting to pay for the sexual services of a child. Millen had arranged payment with what he believed to be the 11-year old’s father, who he anticipated also being present during the criminal act. The trial involved the undercover operative anonymously...

3PB property and financial remedies barrister Louise Worton and criminal law barrister Daniel Sawyer have today both been appointed Recorders in the announcement today, 7 October 2020, from the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. Louise Worton (call: 2000) will be sitting on the South Eastern Circuit dealing with Family matters. Louise has also recently been appointed as a part-time judicial office holder in the First Tier Tribunal, in the South Eastern area, sitting in the Social...

3PB Barristers have created a dedicated webpage on its website to act as a hub for the many articles, briefings and webinar and podcast recordings about lockdown laws and regulations as well as practical issues like court attendance, e-bundles, remote and hybrid hearings. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to create employment, contractual and other legal challenges which are in many ways unprecedented. The impact of the virus is being felt, and in response, 3PB have...

3PB’s Head of Chambers David Berkley QC is delighted to announce that criminal law barrister and child cruelty Silk, Ms Jo Martin QC, has joined 3PB as a door tenant. Jo qualified as a solicitor in 1996 before being called to the Bar in 2005 and becoming a QC last year. Prior to moving to Plymouth, Devon she worked for both the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Fraud Office in London and then became...

Jane Rowley was instructed by West Midlands Solicitors to defend a 22 year old man suffering from anxiety and ADHD in a case involving multiple counts of rape, coercive and controlling behaviour by his ex-partner during the three years of their relationship. The trial involved the services of an intermediary to assist a vulnerable defendant with communication difficulties. Unanimous verdicts of not guilty were retuned on all 8 counts of the indictment after 4 hours...

Berenice Mulvanny successfully defended a man of good character charged with rape of a 16 year old and rape of a 12 year old. Both allegations were non recent and involved young witnesses and extensive complaint evidence. The defendant had significant mental health vulnerabilities which required adaptations to the trial process. The Jury returned unanimous verdicts of not guilty on all counts after a six day trial. Click here to view Berenice Mulvanny's profile.

Gemma White acted for the second defendant, aged 16 at the time of the alleged offences, who faced multiple charges of rape and possession of indecent images of a child along with three other co-accused. The trial lasted several weeks and involved complex matters of law as well as forensic evidence and young and vulnerable witnesses who required careful and sensitive cross examination. A number of the charges were dismissed at the close of the prosecution case and the...