Crime News for: Richard Pratt KC

Gemma White acted for the second defendant, aged 16 at the time of the alleged offences, who faced multiple charges of rape and possession of indecent images of a child along with three other co-accused. The trial lasted several weeks and involved complex matters of law as well as forensic evidence and young and vulnerable witnesses who required careful and sensitive cross examination. A number of the charges were dismissed at the close of the prosecution case and the...

Tom Horder, instructed by Central Bedfordshire Council, successfully prosecuted CP Woburn (Operating Company) Ltd in respect of a fall from height. An 8 year old girl fell from a tree during a tree climbing activity at Center Parcs, Woburn. Luton Crown Court heard that whilst the Defendant Company clearly had systems in place to ensure the safety of guests these were not sufficiently adhered to or implemented in respect of this incident. Agreeing with Mr...

Paul Kent was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court in November 2013 to 19 years imprisonment for a string of sexual offences and was described as "a dangerous man who spent many years manipulating, controlling and abusing women in the Basingstoke area". He was represented by Ian Lawrie QC, 3PB's previous Head of Chambers (now His Honour Judge Lawrie QC) and prosecuted by 3PB's Stephen Parish. Paul Kent was moved to HMP Albany where he started a...

3PB Criminal barrister Graham Gilbert represented a defendant accused of intending to supply drugs to a value of £250,000. The case was heard in Winchester Crown Court. Read more about Graham here. For more information about the case, please click here.

On 5th March 2018 at Southampton Crown Court the defendant was sentenced for rape and sexual abuse of two young children aged between 4 and 7. The abuse was filmed and shared on the dark web. The defendant pleaded guilty and after mitigation from Miss Mulvanny received a life sentence with a minimum tariff of 9 years. Read press coverage here  

Criminal News in Brief – March 2018 by Thomas Evans

5th March 2018

Criminal barrister Thomas Evans brings you the latest edition of Criminal News in Brief. Supreme Court Search and Seizure: a magistrates’ court is entitled to consider material which cannot be disclosed on public policy grounds when issuing search and seizure warrants under PACE 1984. Further, a closed procedure may be adopted by the Crown Court to enable the consideration of non-disclosable material when considering an inter partes application to retain unlawfully seized material (R (Haralambous)...

Insanity: A Defence of General Application by criminal barrister Elisabeth Bussey-Jones

5th March 2018

Criminal barrister Elisabeth Bussey-Jones analyses the case of Loake v Crown Prosecution Service [2017] EWCA (Admin) 2855, which dealt with a point of law as to the availability of ‘insanity’ as a defence to a charge which did not require the Crown to prove criminal intent. To read Elisabeth's analysis, click here.  

Webb v Chief Constable of Avon & Somerset Constabulary: An Overview

5th March 2018

Criminal barrister Graham Gilbert provides an analysis of Webb v Chief Constable of Avon & Somerset Constabulary and examines the attempt to define what “person for the time being in charge of the dog” may mean, in the context of a dog's Conditional Destruction Order (CDO). To view Graham's analysis, click here. Graham Gilbert's profile can be viewed here.

Criminal barristers Thomas Evans and Graham Gilbert provide overviews of the sentencing in the case of Black Cab rapist John Worboys and in the case of Jon Venables. To read their analyses, please click here. To view Thomas Evans' profile, follow this link. Graham Gilbert's profile can be found here.

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...

3PB Crime Barristers Jodie Mittell and Berenice Mulvanny in case involving European Campaign of Terror

24th January 2018

On Wednesday 24 January 2018 two defendants who had been extradited from The Netherlands were sentenced for their part in a blackmail conspiracy. The case stemmed from a campaign involving animal rights extremism. Amongst other tactics the activists used overnight attacks on homes in Europe including the use of incendiary explosive devices, paint stripper and graffiti. Evidence was obtained from a number of jurisdictions across Europe and the defendants were linked to some of the overnight attacks...