Homicide (Murder and Manslaughter) News

3PB property and financial remedies barrister Louise Worton and criminal law barrister Daniel Sawyer have today both been appointed Recorders in the announcement today, 7 October 2020, from the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. Louise Worton (call: 2000) will be sitting on the South Eastern Circuit dealing with Family matters. Louise has also recently been appointed as a part-time judicial office holder in the First Tier Tribunal, in the South Eastern area, sitting in the Social...

3PB Barristers have created a dedicated webpage on its website to act as a hub for the many articles, briefings and webinar and podcast recordings about lockdown laws and regulations as well as practical issues like court attendance, e-bundles, remote and hybrid hearings. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to create employment, contractual and other legal challenges which are in many ways unprecedented. The impact of the virus is being felt, and in response, 3PB have...

Crime barrister Nicholas Cotter of 3PB appeared as junior counsel for the defence in the first criminal trial in the UK to successfully return to the courts since the Covid-19 pandemic began in March 2020. The fifty-eight day trial at the Old Bailey involved six young defendants who faced an allegation of murder with the stabbing of a male on the Edgware Road in West London. The case helped provide a working example on the...

3PB crime barrister Jane Rowley’s client, PC Timothy Brehmer, has entered a guilty plea to an offence of manslaughter at a hearing before Winchester Crown Court on 8th July 2020. The Court was informed that the plea to the manslaughter was not acceptable to the CPS, and the matter has been listed for a 2 week murder trial starting on 12th October 2020. The case has attracted coverage in the media including the BBC reporting...

Joanna Martin Q.C. and Elisabeth Bussey-Jones defended in Jonathan Stasiuk murder case tried in Southampton this month. The case involved Mr Stasiuk being diagnosed with autism and that forming the basis of a diminished responsibility defence. Read BBC coverage of the case here.

3PB’s criminal law barrister Nicholas Cotter, acting for the defence, assisted in reducing the life tariff of a son who sadly murdered his father when under the influence of butane gas. Dominic Hodgson, 37, thought his father had "turned evil" when he inflicted multiple head wounds at their shared home in Sherborne, Dorset, in May. Robert Hodgson, 72, had reluctantly let his son stay with him as he had nowhere to go, Winchester Crown Court...

3PB’s Head of Chambers David Berkley QC is delighted to announce that criminal law barrister and child cruelty Silk, Ms Jo Martin QC, has joined 3PB as a door tenant. Jo qualified as a solicitor in 1996 before being called to the Bar in 2005 and becoming a QC last year. Prior to moving to Plymouth, Devon she worked for both the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Fraud Office in London and then became...

Following a 6 week trial at Portsmouth Crown Court, 3 defendants were convicted of the murder of Richard Hardy on 26 January 2018 and have been sentenced to life with minimum terms of 29, 28 and 27 years respectively. A 4th Defendant was sentenced to 8 years for manslaughter. In passing sentence Mrs Justice Cheema-Grub DBE referred to the offences as “brutal”, noting that the Defendants had murdered a man in less than 30 seconds in...

Three London drug dealers were jailed for more than 30 years each today following unanimous convictions for attempted murder. 3PB Barristers Adam Feest QC, who heads its Crime Team, led Jodie Mittell for the Prosecution in the six-week trial at Winchester Crown Court. The case involved a revenge shooting by the three male defendants against a rival drug network after a robbery at their own drug base in Hampshire. They travelled in convoy from London to the Crookhorn area...

Adam Norris and Berenice Mulvanny have lectured on Dishonesty after Ivey and Bad Character to local solicitors. Click here to view Berenice Mulvanny's profile. To arrange a seminar with our Crime team, contact Chambers Director Stuart Pringle.

Murder of Guy Hedger. Two men were jailed for life today (23 January) following convictions for murder after an eight week trial at Winchester Crown Court.  Seven members of the 3PB Crime Team were involved in this case – Nigel Lickley QC leading Jodie Mittell and Gemma White for the Prosecution, Adam Feest QC leading Nicholas Robinson for the first defendant, and Timothy Bradbury leading David Jenkins for the fourth defendant. The case involved the...