Following the Appellate Court’s decision to quash conviction and order a re-trial, Martin Hicks QC was instructed to represent John McAleer accused of attempting to murder his then girlfriend by pushing her off a 4th floor balcony. The prosecution relied upon eyewitness testimony of other party goers present in the flat at the time as […]
Gavin Irwin and Amy Woolfson explore the realities of instructing experts under the revised procedure rules The revised Criminal Practice Rule 19 and Practice Direction V took effect on 1 April 2019. The new rule places heightened requirements on experts and those instructing them. Following on from the recent collapse of criminal proceedings at Southwark […]
Tom Day and JMW represented the head of an organised crime group operating out of Merseyside in a confiscation hearing in Liverpool Crown Court before HHJ Flewitt QC. The prosecution’s case was that the client was the head of the conspiracy to supply cocaine and had supplied as much as 303 kg (and at least […]
On 10th June 2019, Justice published its report on prosecuting sexual offences. The working party, chaired by HH Peter Rook QC, sought to identify areas where greater efficiency could be achieved without eroding the right to a fair trial. The report calls for important reforms to protect complainants and vulnerable individuals, and recommends stronger obligations […]
A private prosecution for fraud brought by one business associate (ST) against another (PT) in order to overturn liability awarded in a civil action was successfully stopped following abuse applications and an invitation to the DPP to take over and discontinue proceedings. This has now been approved by the Administrative Court and Court of Appeal […]