Recent Cases
Homicide
R v Rawlins
Attempt Murder - The shooting of a man in a nightclub. This initially resulted in the arrest of the complainant, who lied about the cause of his injuries.
R v McStravick and Still
Attempt Murder - Prosecution of two males for the murder a local man who was shot in the head on his doorstep in front of his children. The case involved a careful marriage of CCTV, forensic and ballistic evidence to piece together the movements of both men prior to the shooting. The complainant refused to support the prosecution through fear of reprisals and the conviction was secured without his evidence. There were issues of witness intimidation and hostile witnesses. (Complex Case Unit, NCA Investigation)
R v Rusu
Unlawful Act Manslaughter of a young Romanian man by his friend following the infliction of a severe traumatic brain injury and his eventual death. The case involved complex issues of causation. All witnesses required interpreters including the defendant.
R v MacKenzie
Gross Negligence Manslaughter - Death of a 78-year-old woman from suspected hypothermia. This involved complex issues of causation. A head injury had also been sustained. There was conflicting medical evidence between a hypothermic expert who disagreed with the conclusions of the pathologist as to the cause of death.
R v Wellburn
Gross Negligence Manslaughter - The death of an elderly man through malnutrition and neglect in his own home.
R v Milson
Murder - Death of an eight-month-old baby from a methadone overdose.
R v Mills
Murder - A mother-of-three, murdered by a sixteen-year-old youth, in the corridor outside her flat. A defence of self-defence and diminished responsibility were argued at trial.
Drugs
R v Aytoun and Others (ongoing case)
Leading Prosecution Counsel in thirteen-defendant ‘County Lines’ Class A drugs conspiracy. Vulnerable individuals were recruited and forced to sell drugs in Grimsby, controlled by others based in the Manchester area. A factually complex prosecution involving cell-site, large seizures of drugs and cash and extensive phone interrogation. (Complex Case Unit, NCA)
R v Assan and Others
Leading Prosecution Counsel in a trial of seventeen defendants charged with a Class A drugs conspiracy with a potential turnover of £14 million/annum. The case involved complex phone interrogation, cell-site analysis and issues of Public Interest Immunity. All seventeen defendants were convicted. (Complex Case Unit, NCA)
Livingstone and Others
Large scale drugs conspiracy. NCS operation involving 12 defendants, nine-month-long voir dire and challenges to the disclosure process following the ECHR decision in R v Edwards and Lewis.
Sexual
R v Morris
A cross-jurisdictional prosecution of ‘sex tourism’ in Kenya involving the grooming and abuse of young girls in a small coastal village. This involved managing a prosecution team that included Foreign Office Officials, the British High Commission, Kenyan authorities and domestic prosecutors. 14 witnesses gave evidence from a live link from Kenya during the trial. A rape conviction in relation to one of the girls was achieved, even after she withdrew support, refused provide a video interview or give evidence at trial. (Complex Case Unit, NCA)
R v Watson
Prosecution of a man for the grooming, rape and sexual abuse of three very young children aged between 4 and 6 years old. The defendant had disguised himself as a clown to abuse one of the children seeking to frustrate any reporting/prosecution of the offences. One of the children had developed a psychiatric illness from his experience.
R v Evans
Prosecution of the former mascot of Middlesbrough Football Club for the non-recent rape and sexual abuse of a number of young boys in his care during coaching sessions.
R v Dowd
Prosecution of the Coronation Street and Emmerdale Director for child sex offences.
Fraud
R v Britton and Britton
Leading Prosecution Counsel. Owners of a care home had defrauded elderly and mentally ill residents of their life savings.
R v Bolan and Others
A highly complex multi-handed corporate fraud, involving a conspiracy by the Executive, Compliance Manager and Assessor of a company to steal more than £500,000 from several government-funded charities.
Professional Membership
North Eastern Circuit
Criminal Bar Association