Nikita McNeill

Criminal Defence

Nikita is an experienced and tenacious criminal advocate. She has substantial experience representing defendants across a wide spectrum of offences; including violent and sexual offences.

Nikita is particularly experienced at representing defendants suffering from mental health concerns and advising upon fitness to plead procedures.

Notable Cases:

R v LC (Peterborough Crown Court)

Nikita acted as junior alone representing a defendant accused of 14 counts of the most serious sexual assaults against 4 children aged 3-10 years old.

The defendant had very significant mental and physical health problems. In the course of very complex fitness to plead arguments Nikita obtained evidence from, and cross examined, expert evidence from 5 mental health professionals.

R v MD (Harrow Crown Court)

Assault occasioning Grievous Bodily Harm with Intent

Nikita acted as junior alone to represent a defendant acquitted of a serious machete attack.

R v AK (Blackfriars Crown Court)

Robbery and Indecent Assault

The defendant was arrested as a result of a 20-year-old cold case review, which involved an elderly woman who had been sexually assaulted and robbed at knife point in her home.

R v RC (Snaresbrook Crown Court)

Inciting a child family member to commit sexual activity

Nikita represented a defendant who was unfit to plead, and accused of inciting sexual activity with his niece. Following very careful cross-examination of a very young witness, and her family, the most serious charge was dismissed at half time.

R v SD (Court of Appeal)

Robbery

In one of the first successful appeals under the new Robbery Sentencing Guidelines, the defendant’s sentence was reduced from 32 months to 18 months.

R v SR (Croydon Crown Court)

Sexual Assault

Nikita represented a healthcare assistance who was acquitted of multiple counts of sexually assaulting a vulnerable patient in a hospital.

 R v AM (Inner London Crown Court)

Assault occasioning Grievous Bodily Harm with Intent

Nikita represented a defendant involved in a suspected gang-related knife attack.

R v TT (Reading Crown Court)

Burglary (dwelling)

Nikita represented a defendant charged with burglary in which there was CCTV footage of the burglary from which a police officer had identified the defendant. A voir dire was conducted in which Nikita successfully argued to exclude the identification evidence for gross breaches of the PACE code of conduct by the police and further persuaded the court to exclude the CCTV footage under Section 78.  The prosecution were obliged to offer no evidence.