Crime News

3PB Criminal Law team remains in Chambers and Partners and Legal 500’s TOP TIER

19th October 2023

3PB is proud to announce that its Crime team has retained its TOP TIER ranking in the Legal 500 for Crime (General and Fraud) in the Western Circuit with 11 individual rankings. The team has also retained its Band 1 ranking for Crime in the Chambers and Partners’ edition published today. The Legal 500 also ranks the team in Tier 2 for Business and Regulatory Crime (incl. Health and Safety) on the Western Circuit, recommending...

3PB celebrates 81 rankings in Chambers and Partners 2024

19th October 2023

3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings) breaks another record in the latest edition of Chambers and Partners with a total of 81 accolades. The national set is rewarded with rankings in 18 areas of law, in the London Bar as well as in the South Eastern, Western and Midlands Circuits and exceptional comments on its service delivery, including praise for its “sublime service” and its "ability to manage matters in a professional and comprehensive manner second...

3PB achieves a record 145 rankings in this year’s Legal 500

4th October 2023

3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings), the UK's third largest chambers, is delighted to report this year again an outstanding number of rankings - totalling 145 - in the Legal 500 2024’s edition published today, a 12% increase on last year’s 130. The set has achieved its rankings across 5 large UK regions - or Circuits (London, South Eastern, Western, Midlands and Chester and Wales) - in 21 areas of law. 3PB is also ranked in...

Top criminal and regulatory barrister David Richards appointed as a Circuit Judge

29th September 2023

We are delighted to announce that the King has appointed 3PB’s criminal and regulatory barrister David Richards (pictured here) to be a Circuit Judge with effect from Monday 9 October 2023. David has been deployed to the South Eastern Circuit and will be based at the Inner London Crown Court. Called to the Bar in 1989, David Richards has been a Recorder for the last four years and was head of 3PB's successful Public and...

Rebecca McKnight secures unanimous acquittal of a client charged with supplying Class A drugs

6th September 2023

3PB’s specialist criminal law barrister Rebecca McKnight (pictured here) has successfully secured an acquittal for her client of two charges of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and two charges of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, after a trial at Southampton Crown Court. The defendant was a vulnerable person who had been facing these allegations for almost 2 years. If found guilty, the defendant would have likely faced a period...

Nick Robinson’s client found Not Guilty of possessing 1kg of cocaine with intent to supply

30th August 2023

3PB specialist criminal defence barrister Nick Robinson represented CL at his trial at Oxford Crown Court for possessing a class A drug with intent to supply. On 13 February 2023, officers from Scotland in conjunction with Oxfordshire Constabulary, executed a stop and search warrant of CL's Mercedes vehicle in Oxford as it travelled from Hamilton, Scotland to Bournemouth, England. The police found 1kg of high purity cocaine concealed in a stage light in a box...

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

7th August 2023

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...

Robin Leach and Thomas Evans prosecute docker sentenced to 21 years for £118m cocaine smuggling

21st July 2023

3PB criminal barristers Robin Leach and Thomas Evans (pictured here left to right) prosecuted a 45-year-old dock worker on a charge of co-conspiring to import 1.5 tons of cocaine valued at £118m into the UK. The man’s 21-year sentence follows his retrial at Portsmouth Crown Court, after a previous jury had been unable to reach a verdict. Two of the docker’s co-conspirators were previously jailed for 14 and 13 years respectively, having admitted their guilt....

Jonathan Underhill secures acquittal in rape case

12th June 2023

3PB's specialist criminal and regulatory barrister Jonathan Underhill’s 28 year-old client was acquitted of charges of rape and intentional strangulation less than a week before trial. Despite prolonged and protracted attempts to gain access to his client’s phone, which had been retained by police investigators; a comprehensive review of that telephone material was undertaken by his defence team following its provision being directed by the Court. Jonathan uncovered vital exculpatory evidence which fundamentally undermined the...

Oliver Hirsch’s client acquitted of Class A drugs supply

6th June 2023

3PB Barrister’s (3 Paper Buildings) criminal barrister Oliver Hirsch (pictured here) saw his client acquitted by a jury of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, after trial at Bournemouth Crown Court. The prosecution had accused the defendant of taking a leading role in the supply of cocaine. Had his client been convicted, he faced a lengthy prison sentence. The allegations dated back four years, by which time he had moved on from what was...

Jonathan Underhill secures suspended sentence in multi-million pound Conspiracy to Defraud

2nd May 2023

"Operation Kijang" involved an investigation across multiple police areas of a national, organised crime group stealing high-specification cars to order. “Strikers” were used to present false documents to obtain bogus finance agreements with well known car dealerships around the country. The activity was widespread and carefully planned, with 17 defendants being indicted for conspiracy to defraud with a total value of over £2 million. 3PB's specialist criminal and regulatory barrister Jonathan Underhill, pictured here, acted...

Jonathan Underhill prosecutes man sentenced to 20 years for manslaughter

20th April 2023

Following a trial lasting some 19 days in May 2022 Draven Jewell was convicted of Manslaughter, Section 18 Wounding with intent and Section 20 Wounding resulting from a short, but violent, incident involving a large kitchen knife outside of the Royal British Legion in Lymington. Instructed for the prosecution throughout the case Jonathan Underhill (pictured here), initially led by Adam Feest KC, undertook a sentencing hearing complicated by a significant delay to allow for medical...