Criminal Defence

Conspiracy to supply class A drugs

We represent a defendant charged alongside others in a conspiracy to supply Class A drugs in the South of England. The charges encompass possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, dangerous driving, and criminal damage, as our client attempted to evade police officers.

Our client staunchly denies involvement in the conspiracy. In support of our defence, therefore, we have engaged cell-site and DNA experts, aiming to demonstrate that any contact or communications between our client and co-defendants had innocent and explainable purposes.

Initially remanded in custody, the trial was scheduled for September 2023. However, we successfully opposed an extension of custody time limits, leading to the trial being rescheduled for 2025.

Extradition with mental health challenge

We represent a Bulgarian national requested by Slovenia to serve a prison sentence for thefts committed in 2018.

As our client has a history of significant mental health issues linked to past domestic abuse, our primary challenge revolves around s25 EA 2003, focusing on the severity of our client’s condition and the risk of extradition exacerbating her suicide risk. We’ve procured expert psychiatric evidence to support this challenge.

The case’s complexity is further compounded by concurrent domestic criminal and immigration proceedings. We’ve provided support to the client and her family throughout these parallel proceedings.

Extradition proceedings relating to the handling of stolen goods

We represent a Polish client facing extradition proceedings before Westminster Magistrates Court based on a European Arrest Warrant, which seeks to enforce a sentence for handling stolen goods dating back to 1997 and 1999.

Despite living and working legally in the UK for over two decades, our client’s extradition is pending.

To challenge this, we have gathered witness statements from an extensive network of family members in the UK. We’ve also obtained evidence from his employer, highlighting the impact on business and skilled projects in the local area.

As our client has a young son, we secured an expert report from a prominent child psychologist to strengthen our challenge under Article 8. Moreover, we’ve engaged local lawyers in Poland to explore novel legal arguments regarding the enforceability of the extradition offences.

Robbery charges

We represent this client in a joint trial concerning high-value watch robberies in central London. Originally, the client had other solicitors representing him for one high-value Rolex robbery.

Still, he opted to transfer legal aid to us, enabling us to represent him across all related matters at trial.

The client firmly denies the robbery charges, and the trial is set for November this year. Our defence strategy includes meticulous analysis of CCTV evidence to build a robust case.

Fraud in property transactions

Our client was charged with fraud by abuse of position following a complaint made to the police by her ex-employer, in which he claimed that her fraudulent actions in dealing in property transactions had resulted in a loss of over £40,000. It was alleged that the company had found accounting discrepancies relating to transactions undertaken in her role as an estate agent.

On receipt of the evidence, however, it became apparent that the police investigation following the complaint was flawed. This resulted in a Defence Statement which not only noted deficiencies in the indictment but also failures in the disclosure process which were so serious that proceedings should be stayed as an abuse of process.

Following consideration of our submissions, the Crown ultimately offered no evidence, meaning that a “not guilty” verdict was recorded against the client, an exceptional result which saved her the stress and cost of protracted proceedings.

Encrochat, drugs and firearms

We represent a man said to have played a vital and trusted role for an OCG at the heart of a conspiracy to supply Class A drugs in matters arising from Operation Venetic.

Our client faces four charges including conspiracy to supply Class A controlled drugs between March and June 2020 and conspiracy to supply Class A drugs outside the jurisdiction, in proceedings before Liverpool Crown Court.

Before arraignment, days were spent carefully analysing the Crown’s data, which resulted in the ability to put forward a credible basis of plea which the Court accepted; almost halving the quantum of drugs that the client was involved in supplying.

The client received a total sentence of 12 years and 6 months in custody; significantly shorter than had been originally anticipated and a testament to our unwavering commitment to our clients in cases arising from the Encrochat hack.

Eight serious charges related to data seized from encrypted phones

We represent a client in a complicated EncroChat case at Manchester Crown Court involving eight charges said to have occurred in 2020, including conspiracy to cause GBH, possession of firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to supply drugs, and possession of criminal property.

The case is labyrinthine, involving two operations with 14 defendants split into two trials, and over 55,000 pages of evidence, with complex legal arguments over the reliability and admissibility of EncroChat data.

We have carefully analysed the evidence to develop compelling legal arguments in our client’s defence and have put multiple disclosure requests to the Prosecution.

The challenges we have mounted have resulted in the abandonment of a key piece of evidence which has proved critical to the direction of the defence case.

Our expertise in EncroChat enables us to support our client’s defence in readiness for trial in 2024.

Importing and supplying class A & B drugs and firearms

We are defending a client at Luton Crown Court against charges of importing and supplying drugs to an organised crime group.

It is alleged by the prosecution that the OCG used EncroChat mobile devices throughout the conspiracy, and evidence against our client comes from the attribution of a device found at his address.

The Crown seeks to rely on the co-location of the device with another phone and travel itineraries to attribute it to our client. However, little else implies our client’s involvement with the OCG.

To secure the best possible outcome for the client, we have obtained expert reports focusing on the reliability and continuity of the data with a view to undermining the Crown’s case, before instructing an expert to prepare a subsequent report.

Our team’s expert knowledge of Operation Venetic, the NCA’s EncroChat investigation, gives us a platform to staunchly defend our client.

Conspiracy to supply class A drugs and money laundering

We represented one of four defendants in an EncroChat case, who was charged with conspiracy to supply multiple kilograms of cocaine, money laundering and being concerned in the supply of a Class B drug.

Initially, the prosecution alleged that our client played a “leading role” in the conspiracy and as a result, faced a sentence of between 12 and 16 years in prison.

We analysed 1,500 messages and worked with an EncroChat expert to determine the true amount of cocaine supplied. This led to the discovery of further information which suggested our client played a much lesser role than had originally been alleged.

From these findings negotiated resolutely with the prosecution, ultimately resulting in our client’s role being downgraded to “significant” and the acceptance that no more than four kilograms of cocaine were supplied.

Our client, therefore, received a significantly shorter sentence of six years’ imprisonment.

UK-wide drugs operation

Our client, alleged to be the kingpin of an organised crime group, is accused of orchestrating an extensive drug distribution network across the UK. As advocates for our client, we are fervently challenging the accusations that label him as the OCG kingpin.

This case is an offshoot of Operation Silentpool, a comprehensive investigation by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit. The operation unveiled the OCG’s multifaceted activities, including the use of encrypted communication, safe houses, firearms, and ammunition.

We assert that the East Midlands Special Operations Unit planted mobile phones in our client’s premises during the arrest and search.

This case holds tremendous importance due to the scale of the alleged operation and the advanced techniques employed, such as encrypted communications and clandestine locations, to conceal criminal operations.

GBH charges

Our client was charged with s18 GBH following a drunken bar fight that left one individual severely injured.

The individual had been drinking for 12 hours continuously and had no recollection of the events. The prosecution presented 23 witnesses who identified him as the perpetrator.

The defence meticulously challenged every aspect of the prosecution’s case. They discovered that the police failed to identify other suspects at the time, and the victim in this case was also the defendant in another case where he had assaulted someone with a glass. These issues were raised during the trial, leading to the unanimous acquittal of the defendant.

Confessions of unsolved murders

While representing an individual detained at a high-security psychiatric hospital, our client expressed his desire to confess to multiple unsolved murders.

These alleged murders included the attempted murder of a diplomat’s daughter, which left her in a permanent vegetative state.

Ultimately, the client received a hospital order with restrictions.