• Thomas Acworth

      Thomas Acworth’s client acquitted of multiple historical sexual offences

      3PB's crime barrister Thomas Acworth (pictured here) acted for JP, a 60-year-old man of previous good character, who was accused of serious sexual offences said to have taken place from the late 1970s to the mid 1980s. He was tried before HHJ Feest KC at Winchester Crown Court. The indictment included 22 incidents of what would now be charged as rape of a child under 13. The litigation involved considerable arguments over disclosure, which were...

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    • 3PB’s Criminal and Regulatory Law Team confirmed as Top Tier in Chambers and Partners

      3PB Barristers congratulates its first-class Criminal and Regulatory Law team for another strong result in Chambers and Partners’ 2025 edition. Not only has the team retained its Band 1 ranking for Crime in the Western Circuit, with 10 of its practitioners ranked in this area of law, it has also added 2 new rankings for Health and Safety in Western, now totalling 3 ranked barristers. While our barristers are praised for their forensic analyses, strategic...

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    • 3PB Criminal and Regulatory Law Team’s strong showing in the Legal 500’s 2025 edition

      3PB’s Criminal Law team has retained its top tier ranking in the Legal 500 for Crime (General and Fraud) in the Western Circuit and welcomes three new rankings: 14 of its 28 practitioners are now ranked by the Legal 500. In our clients’ words, “3PB is ‘a strong set with barristers of every level and specialism’ and continues to handle cases across a wide spectrum of serious criminal cases, spanning murders, large-scale drug conspiracies, sexual...

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    • Crime law newsletter

      Crime and regulatory law newsletter out now

      Welcome to our third crime and regulatory law newsletter edited by Oliver Hirsch, featuring our conference on 13 September as well as crime news and analysis from Oliver Hirsch, Kate Davies, Jo Martin KC, Gemma White, Tom Acworth, Berenice Mulvanny, Sunyana Sharma, Rebecca McKnight and Holly Fagan.

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    • Thomas Acworth

      Thomas Acworth acts for vulnerable defendant in arms dealing conspiracy

      3PB crime barrister Thomas Acworth represented DB, a vulnerable man with serious health issues, who was charged with conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons and conspiracy to transfer ammunition. Together with others, DB was said to have converted legal, blank-firing pistols into operational, lethal handguns. The handguns were then supplied to other organised criminal groups around the country. Some were used in gangland shootings. At sentence, HHJ Real accepted Thomas’ ‘focused and realistic’ submissions about DB’s role...

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    • Crime law newsletter

      Crime law newsletter - out now!

      Welcome to 3PB's crime law newsletter, bringing you news and analysis from our team. Oliver Hirsch analyses the case of R v AFU [2023] EWCA Crim 23; Holly Fagan reviews the latest sentencing guidelines; Rebecca McKnight considers the origins, injuries, and challenges of non-fatal strangulation; and Jonathan Underhill sets out a sentencing guide for intentional non-fatal strangulation cases.

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      Thomas Acworth and Thomas Evans successfully defend clients charged with drugs offences after Operation Eternal

      Two of 3PB's crime and regulatory barristers Thomas Acworth and Thomas Evans (picture left to right) successfully represented two people arrested whilst fleeing their North London property along with a third male. In excess of 11kg of cocaine and more than £40,000 in cash was seized at the house. The execution of the search warrant of their property was part of the Metropolitan Police's Operation Eternal, a major operation launched in April 2020 to target...

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      Thomas Acworth's client acquitted of rape

      3PB criminal barrister Thomas Acworth (pictured) saw his client, X, acquitted of rape. X was accused of raping another student after they had been clubbing together.  Following the production of text message and telephone evidence, which undermined the complainant’s credibility, the Crown decided to offer no evidence against X on the first day of his trial. Thomas was instructed by Paige Schooley of Tang, Bentley & Jackson. To instruct Thomas, please email his clerk, Practice...

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    • Thomas Acworth

      Thomas Acworth’s client acquitted of aiding murderer after three month trial

      3PB's crime barrister Thomas Acworth, pictured here, led Laura Hollingbery of 2 KBW in the defence of AM, a vulnerable 18-year-old, in a lengthy murder trial heard before Mr. Justice Martin Spencer at Winchester Crown Court. Thomas was instructed by Kate Harrington of law firm Penfold & McPherson. The trial concerned the killing of Frantisek Olah, a 31-year-old father of two, who was stabbed over 20 times at his home address in Basingstoke. AM was...

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    • Thomas Acworth

      Thomas Acworth successful in firearms appeal by way of case stated

      3PB's crime and regulatory barrister Thomas Acworth, pictured here, appeared for the successful appellant the Chief Constable in the Administrative Court, before Sir Ross Cranston, in the case of Chief Constable of Surrey Police v Nelson Smith. At first instance, the Crown Court upheld the Chief Constable’s decision to refuse Mr. Smith’s application for a firearm certificate on the basis that he was a risk to public safety and the peace. The Crown Court then...

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    • Chambers and Partners 2023

      3PB Criminal Law team achieves the TOP TIER in both legal directories again

      3PB offers its congratulations to its Criminal Law team for again reaching the top tier in the latest editions (2023) of the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners directories. The team has increased its number of juniors ranked in the Western Circuit by Chambers and Partners to 10 (+2 on last year), and now achieves 12 rankings in the Legal 500 (+2 on last year). 3PB’s criminal law team ‘offers an impressive array of criminal practitioners’ and...

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    • Simon Astill

      3PB excels with 73 rankings in Chambers and Partners 2023

      3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings) has been awarded a record number of rankings in the latest edition of Chambers and Partners with a total of 73 accolades for its barristers. The national heavyweight chambers achieves its rankings in London, South Eastern, Western and the Midlands - in 18 categories of law. Earlier this year, 3PB also celebrated its first ranking in Chambers and Partners High Net Worth guide. Click here to view the full results...

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