Brian O’Neill QC

Criminal Defence

Brian is instructed in criminal cases of the utmost gravity and seriousness by leading defence solicitors. His vast experience has earned him the respect of those who instruct him, his peers and the judiciary.

He is regularly instructed in high profile murder cases including the defence of a young man accused of four counts of murder following a revenge attack house fire.

He undertakes terrorism cases including the defence of a man accused of being part of a plot to blow up the Stock Exchange, and, the prosecution of two passengers accused of threatening to bring down a PIA plane on its approach to Manchester.

His instructions include allegations involving serious sexual offences where his judicial experience (he is authorised to try such cases in his capacity as a Recorder at the Central Criminal Court) gives him a distinct advantage.

Cases

Rohan Ince

The former Chelsea player was accused of having ‘bottled’ the doorman following an incident outside the club in the early hours of Christmas Day 2015. Rohan, who denied the attack on the basis that he had been misidentified, was cleared of all charges by the jury after a short retirement following a three days’ trial.

Raziel Jeffers

RJ has been convicted of a number of offences arising out of three separate shooting incidents, namely: Bonaventure – one murder and four attempted murders; the murder of Damion Ming; and, the manslaughter of Marcos Duran. Brian acted for him at trial in the last of those cases and in a series of appeals in the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal.

Akeem Jeffers & Others

AJ and seven others stood trial on four counts of murder. They were accused of firebombing the home of a man whom they suspected of having murdered a friend of theirs earlier that day, however, the wrong house was set alight killing a mother and her three teenage children. AJ was acquitted of murder and convicted of manslaughter.

Rahman & Others

R and eight others were accused of a number of terrorist offences including a conspiracy to blow up the London Stock Exchange and another plan to set up a terrorist training camp in Pakistan. The defendants pleaded ‘Guilty’ after the jury had been sworn. R received the lowest sentence of all the defendants which was further reduced on appeal.

VUT

Defence of a professional footballer accused with three other players of sexually assaulting a young woman in a hotel room. Brian’s client was acquitted of all charges. The solicitor for one of the co-defendants described Brian as “the stand out Silk in the case“.