Nneka Akudolu KC

Criminal Defence

Nneka is a sought-after defence advocate who has the complete confidence and trust of those she represents. She has particular experience in homicide cases and serious sexual offences.

Murder:

R v JB

Nneka represented JB. This defendant pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of CM who died from traumatic brain injuries on the 19th July 2022. The prosecution did not accept that plea and he was therefore tried for murder along with his brother and a teenager who at the time was only 14 years of age. This case involved extremely complicated medical evidence presented by a Neuropathologist and Consultant Forensic Pathologist. Nneka’s client was the only defendant not to give evidence. He was found not guilty of murder following a 2 -week trial at the Liverpool Crown Court.

R v CH

Nneka was instructed to defend CH, one of nine defendants charged with murder. Police were called to an Internet cafe in the Liverpool City Centre on the 16th April last year where an 18 year old man was found to be unresponsive. He died a short time later from extensive head and neck injuries. The defendant was found not guilty of murder and manslaughter.

R v D 

Nneka represented D as junior alone for a single count of murder. The allegations arose from an argument over 3 rocks of crack cocaine where the victim was fatally kicked in the head leading to a subarachnoid haemorrhage. This case involved meticulous cross examination of the pathologist on the issue of causation.

R v S

Junior counsel representing the only youth in a three-handed ‘honey-trap’ murder case. The first, (and only female) defendant had lured the victim to a secluded area where he was then ‘set upon’ by the two male defendants with metal bars causing fatal injuries. Significant legal arguments took place on the admissibility of comments made by the victim prior to his death.

R v M

Junior counsel Led by Brian O’Neill KC, representing M for an allegation of murder. M was one of three defendants accused of kicking a fellow homeless man to death. The case involved a significant cut throat defence with both co defendants.

R v B

Junior counsel, led by Alison Levitt KC. B faced allegations of murder and attempted arson. This involved allegations that he broke into the deceased’s home in order to steal his coin collection; once there, he stabbed him 14 times and then attempted to set fire to the flat. This was a high profile case that attracted considerable media attention.

Rape:

R v N

N was charged with 18 counts of historic rapes and sexual assaults against 3 of his immediate family members spanning 15 years. Nneka acted as leading junior. The case involved complicated s41 arguments aswell as video recorded evidence of some of the alleged offences taking place.

R v W

Leading junior counsel, W, a former choirmaster was charged with 20 historic sexual allegations against 4 former choir boys dating back to the 1980’s and 1990’s. The case attracted significant media attention which led to the emergence of several new complainants.

Drugs:

R v LS

Nneka acted as junior alone in a large-scale drugs conspiracy involving the alleged supply of £3m worth of high purity heroin. The prosecution case centred around communication with encrochat telephones and cell site material which sought to show contact between all co-conspirators before and after the consignment was delivered at LS’s home address. The case involved a cut throat defence and complicated bad character arguments.