NOTABLE CRIMINAL DEFENCE CASES
We are experts in criminal defence. Many of our cases have attracted national and international media interest.
Murder
R-v- NH, Sheffield Crown Court. Operation Banish Kilo. Secured the acquittal of the defendant in a multi hander Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Conspiracy to Possess Firearms with intent to endanger life. NH was alleged to have been the driver of a car used for a drive by shootings and then decamping before the vehicle was burnt out. NH denied being part of the conspiracy. The case attracted widespread national media coverage.
R -v- GL. Sheffield Crown Court. [Operation Mason Like] Adam Law Solicitors represented GL who was acquitted of Murder. The prosecution alleged that GL and another had attacked a man causing multiple rib fractures by kicking and stamping upon him. Those injuries ultimately led to death. The case involved admissions of guilt recorded by a car “dashcam” device that (unbeknown to GL) captured him making admissions of involvement in the unlawful fatal violence. The case involved a “cut throat” defence between the defendants and their respective intent at the time of using that fatal violence. The case also involved a wide range of issues as to Jogee joint enterprise. The case involved complex disclosure, hearsay, bad character, and cross-admissibility considerations. The case attracted extensive media coverage.
R-v- IE, Sheffield Crown Court. Secured the acquittal of the defendant in a multi hander double attempted Murder. A call was received from ambulance reporting that two patients had been shot in the arm and back in the Sheffield area. Firearms officers attended and found the victims conscious, breathing and walking around but with shot gun injuries. The defendant was arrested and it had been established that he had also been arrested earlier in the day in an incident involving a family member of one of the victims and then released some hours before the shootings. This was the likely the catalyst for the shootings as asserted by the prosecution. One victim Sustained around 40 pellet wounds in the right upper arm and forearm, wrist, hand and fingers, right hip, and right side of chest. Several pellets still embedded including one under nail of right index finger. The other victim sustained 4/5 pellet wounds to the back. The defence case was that this was a case of mistaken.
R – AD. Sheffield Crown Court. Secured the acquittal of the defendant in an Attempted Murder charge. The victim suffered a number of stab wounds to his leg, chest and head. After successful submissions by the defence following careful scrutinisation of CCTV footage, the Prosecution accepted a plea of section 20 assault. The case attracted extensive media coverage.
R -v -LM – Sheffield Crown Court. High profile case extensively reported by BBC, ITV and Sky News. Adam Law Solicitors represented LM who was arrested for attempted Murder after three people were injured in a School which went into lockdown. LW was subsequently charged with attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. The court accepted LM was suffering from psychosis at the time of the incident.
R – EB. Sheffield Crown Court. Adam Law Solicitors represented EB charged with the Murder of a Pensioner who had been stabbed multiple times. The case attracted widespread National media Coverage.
Drugs Conspiracies/ Supply of Drugs
R -v -RB – Hull Crown Court. [Operation Campden]. Represented RB in a multi hander conspiracy to supply Class A drugs in a major drugs operation with a value of over £4 million involving ENCROCHAT under the National Crime Agency’s Operation Venetic. The allegation was that a Manchester based Serious Organised Crime Group conspired together to arrange and deliver large Multi Kilo amounts of Cocaine targeting Hull, Manchester and Liverpool. The complex investigation involved EncroChat data that had been obtained by the National Crime Agency, cell site data, mobile phone attributions and CCTV footage. The case attracted national media coverage and appeared on National News.
R -v -AL & Others – Snaresbrook Crown Court. Operation Serious. Adam Law Solicitors represented AL concerning conspiracy to possess an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and conspiracy to possess a firearm without holding a current firearm certificate as well as the supply of Class A drugs. The evidence relied upon was obtained by police involving EncroChat following a UK National Crime Agency operation known as Operation Venetic. That operation used a French/Dutch developed implant to collect data from what had been previously considered to a secure EncroChat messaging system. In order for one user of EncroChat to communicate successfully with another user they must know the unique user identification, or “ handle” of that person. As part of his defence, the defendant denied attribution to the encrypted device and also denied being a user of the device. AT TRIAL AL WAS ACQUITTED OF ALL CHARGES.
R -v -JO – Snaresbrook Crown Court. Represented JO who had been charged with several counts of Possession with Intent to Supply Class A drugs and Being concerned in supply Class A drugs. JO was previously represented by another firm of solicitors who had advised him to plead Guilty to the charges. He was looking at a 7-year Prison sentence. After transferring the case, Adam Law Solicitors successfully applied to the court to vacate JO’s previous plea of Guilty to that of Not Guilty raising the defence of Modern Slavery. The modern slavery defence under s.45 Modern Slavery Act 2015 was raised. As part of the defence case, Adam Law Solicitors instructed a modern slavery expert who concluded JO was a victim of human trafficking in the form of child criminal exploitation which continued into his young adulthood and was forced into criminality. JO had been recruited by an organised criminal group at a young age and pro-actively targeted by the criminal group due to his significant vulnerabilities. JO had also been referred to the Single Competent Authority known as an NRM referral which provided a conclusive grounds decision that JO was a victim of Modern Slavery. The defence raised that gangs often can use coercive methods in order to recruit young local men to become involved in their activities, including dealing drugs on their behalf. These methods can include the use of pressure, threats and physical violence. Gangs will often use methods to pressure people into working for them by claiming that those people owe them a debt. AT TRIAL THE CPS DROPPED THE CHARGES.
R -v -NH – Derby Crown Court. Operation Hornet. Represented MH in a multi hander involving fourteen defendants conspiracy to supply Class A drugs namely cocaine following a complex investigation. The conspiracy span over 72 weeks involving high-volume supply of high purity cocaine in Sheffield and Chesterfield. During the investigation the police seized almost 20 kilos of cocaine valued at £1.2 Million ( although the Crown alleged the level of dealing involved 75 Kilos) and £1.2 Million in cash. The 12 weeks long trial attracted widespread media coverage.
R -v -MW – Leeds Crown Court. Operation Enddale. Represented MW in a multi hander involving twelve defendants Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs namely cocaine and Heroin in West and North Yorkshire. The complex investigation involved covert surveillance, phone communications and cell site evidence. MW defence was that he was a drug user rather than a dealer. VERDICT – NOT GUILTY OF ALL CHARGES
R -v -LM – Nottingham Crown Court. Operation Blazestone. Represented LM in a multi hander conspiracy to produce and supply large scale of class A drugs namely heroin and cocaine and Class B drugs across the Midlands involving 22 defendants. The complex investigation involved surveillance and observation evidence, search evidence, telecoms evidence, namely communications and cell site evidence. The case attracted national media coverage.
R -v -MA – Sheffield Crown Court. Operation River. Represented MA in a multi hander conspiracy to supply Class A drugs namely Diamorphine and cocaine involving the main drug dealing line in Sheffield. The complex investigation involved telecoms evidence, namely telecommunications data. The modern slavery defence under s.45 Modern Slavery Act 2015 was raised. As part of the defence case, Adam Law Solicitors instructed a modern slavery expert who concluded was a victim of modern slavery: deprivation of liberty and forced labour who suffered both physical and psychological abuse. The case attracted national media coverage.
R -v -DG – Woodgreen Crown Court. Represented DG in a multi hander being concerned in supply of Class A drugs. The modern slavery defence under s.45 Modern Slavery Act 2015 was raised. As part of the defence case, Adam Law Solicitors instructed a modern slavery expert who concluded DG was a victim of human trafficking in the form of child criminal exploitation which continued into his young adulthood and forced into criminality. The defence raised that gangs often can use coercive methods in order to recruit young local men to become involved in their activities, including dealing drugs on their behalf. These methods can include the use of pressure, threats and physical violence. Gangs will often can use methods to pressure people into working for them by claiming that those people owe them a debt. DG was acquitted of all charges.
R -v -HK – Manchester Crown Court. Operation Gamber. Represented HK in a multi hander conspiracy to supply class A drugs namely heroin and cocaine across the North West and Midlands involving 16 defendants involved in a large-scale narcotic distribution group. 90,000 pages of evidence were served. The investigation was led by Greater Manchester Police Serious and Organised Crime Group unit. The case was widely reported in the media.
R -v- DG – Manchester Crown Court. Operation Cosmetic. represented DG in a multi hander and multi-million-pound conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to produce 300kg of amphetamine involving national distribution of drugs. The case attracted national media coverage.
R -v -MR – Sheffield Crown Court. Adam Law Solicitors secured the acquittal of the defendant in a multi hander Possession with Intent to Supply Class A drugs namely heroin and crack cocaine. It was MR defence that she was a victim of Modern Slavery.
R-v- MM – Sheffield Crown Court. Represented MM in a multi hander conspiracy to produce class B drugs. We successfully made an application to dismiss against MM.
R-v- AW – Sheffield Crown Court. Represented a client in a multi hander conspiracy to supply class B drugs. AW was acquitted.
R -v -KO – York Crown Court. Operation Crib. Represented KO in a multi hander conspiracy to supply Class A drugs namely Heroin and cocaine through a County Line operating between South, West and North Yorkshire. The complex and lucrative drug operation involved over 1400 deals during the conspiracy period. After successful representations, the defendant was spared a prison sentence. The case attracted media coverage.
R -v -MA – Derby Crown Court. Operation Jeleco. Represented MA in a multi hander involving eight defendants conspiracy to supply Class A drugs namely Heroin and crack cocaine through a County Line operating from Sheffield to Derby. The supply of these drugs into Derby was facilitated by the provision by the group of two so called County Line telephone numbers which users and potential buyers could use as their point of contact to arrange the purchase of their chosen drug in their chosen quantities. The Defence put forward a Basis of Plea leading to MA receiving a far lenient sentence.
R – v – HD . Sheffield Crown Court. Represented HD in a drug cultivation matter involving Class B (Cannabis) drugs with a street value of over £800,000. The court heard how this was a very sophisticated cannabis production set up indicative of a highly professional industrial scale cannabis factory and implemented as part of an organised crime group. The defendant pleaded on the basis he had arrived into the UK in a lorry two weeks prior to his arrest on the promise of legitimate work, he effectively acted as a gardener and was not involved in the operational or management of the premises nor was he involved in the setting up of the cannabis. It was successfully argued that the defendant played a lesser role within the sentencing guidelines. The case attracted media interest.
R -v -SH – Manchester Crown Court. Represented SH in a multi hander involving Firearms, ammunition and Possession with Intent to Supply Class A drugs namely heroin and cocaine across Greater Manchester. During the trial, we produced a vital piece of evidence, namely a Psychological report based on the defendant’s very low IQ level. The case attracted media interest
R – v – CC . Leeds Crown Court. Represented CC in a drug cultivation matter involving production of 171 cannabis plants having a street value of £90,000. The court heard how this was a very sophisticated cannabis production set up and implemented as part of an organised crime group. CC was spared a prison sentence.
R-v- IE. Sheffield Crown Court. Represented IE where he was tried for possession with intent to supply class A drugs involving a significant amount of cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin. The case attracted media interest.
R-v- DC. Sheffield Crown Court. Represented DC where he was tried for possession with intent to supply class A drugs including crack cocaine and heroin. The case attracted media interest.
R-v- PB. Sheffield Crown Court. Represented PB where he was tried for possession with intent to supply class A drugs, namely heroin. The defendant denied intention to supply. It was the defendant’s case that he had lent his mobile phone to a friend from which the supply took place. The Prosecution withdrew the charge.
R – v – AG . Leeds Crown Court. Represented AG in a drug cultivation matter and Possession with Intent to Supply Class B drugs. AG was spared a prison sentence.
Fraud Conspiracies
R-v- NH, Snaresbrook Crown Court. Adam Law Solicitors secured the acquittal of the defendant in a large scale multi hander Conspiracy to defraud Boots & Tesco and Money Laundering involving nine Defendants. ADAM LAW SOLICITORS SUCCESSFULLY RAISED THE MODERN SLAVERY DEFENCE IN WHAT IS BELIEVED TO BE THE FIRST MODERN SLAVERY FRAUD CASE IN THE UK. The amount of fraud involved was in excess of half million pounds. It was NH defence that she was a victim of Modern Slavery. NH was a young woman in her 20’s who claimed that she has been the subject of 10 years of exploitation and did not participate in the commission of the fraud voluntarily. The modern slavery defence under s.45 Modern Slavery Act 2015 was raised. As part of the defence case, Adam Law Solicitors argued that NH was exploited as a child and then further exploited as an adult when forced to commit crime through violence and in particular, that she had no realistic alternative because she has been failed by the police and social services on numerous occasions. The Prosecution were not prepared to accept this and the defence appointed one of the leading anti trafficking experts in the United Kingdom to prepare a report for the court. During the trial, the Prosecution conceded that NH was a victim of modern slavery. The case attracted extensive and widespread national media coverage.
R-v- ZA, Chelmsford Crown Court. Operation Lyne. Adam Law Solicitors represented the defendant in a large scale multi hander Conspiracy to facilitate unlawful immigration into the United Kingdom. It was the Crown’s case that, over a 13-month period, an organised crime network helped asylum seekers from the Middle East get to this country in order to claim asylum using French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and British documents. The case involved a large scale investigation where the network extended across Europe, including Belgium, France and Spain. It was ZA defence that she was a victim of Modern Slavery. The case attracted extensive and widespread national media coverage which included a statement by the Immigration Minister.
R -v- MA . Sheffield Crown Court. Operation Loft. Represented the main defendant in a multi handed conspiracy to facilitate unlawful immigration involving nine defendants. The applications were made on an industrial scale. The case involved a two-year investigation by Immigration Enforcement’s Criminal and Financial Investigation (CFI) team. This was a lengthy trial and the case was widely reported in the national media.
R-v- SA, Liverpool Crown Court. Operation Codete. Represented the defendant in a multi handed conspiracy to facilitate unlawful immigration involving a wide international element. After successful negotiations, SA was spared a prison sentence, although the maximum sentence for assisting unlawful immigration, contrary to section 25(1) of the Immigration Act 1971, is 14 years’ imprisonment.
R-v- GH, Bradford Crown Court. GH was charged with Fraudulent evasion of Income Tax and VAT with overall tax loss suffered HMRC being over £300,000. Adam Law Solicitors appointed an expert forensic accountant and, after skilful and successful submissions, liability to HMRC was reduced to £52,000. As a result, JH was spared a prison sentence.
Human Trafficking Conspiracies
R-v- JH & OTHERS, Leeds Crown Court. Operation River. Represented the Defendant who was charged together with 4 Co-Defendants, with offences arising out of an Organised Crime Gang of conspiracy to control prostitution and the Defendant and others were further charged with conspiracy to facilitate the travel of others with a view to them being exploited, and conspiracy to convert, conceal transfer criminal property which was the proceeds of crime. The case involved a substantial amount of investigation and had an international element. The volume of served evidence was well over 100,000 pages.
Money Laundering
R-v- QA – Snaresbrook Crown Court. Represented the defendant in a Money Laundering matter. After successful representations, the defendant was spared a prison sentence.
R-v- EC . Derby crown court. Represented EC in a two-hander money laundering case to the value of over quarter million pounds. After successful representations, EC was spared a prison sentence.
Prison Mutiny
R v MM. Maidstone Crown Court. operation Disclaim. Represented MM in a seven week prison mutiny (riot) trial at HMP Swaleside involving a total of 21 defendants and four separate trials. The case was widely reported in the national media.
Firearms
R -v -AL & Others – Snaresbrook Crown Court. Operation Serious. Adam Law Solicitors represented AL concerning conspiracy to possess an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and conspiracy to possess a firearm without holding a current firearm certificate as well as the supply of Class A drugs. The evidence relied upon was obtained by police involving EncroChat following a UK National Crime Agency operation known as Operation Venetic. That operation used a French/Dutch developed implant to collect data from what had been previously considered to a secure EncroChat messaging system. In order for one user of EncroChat to communicate successfully with another user they must know the unique user identification, or “ handle” of that person. As part of his defence, the defendant denied attribution to the encrypted device and also denied being a user of the device. AT TRIAL AL WAS ACQUITTED OF ALL CHARGES.
R v KH. Sheffield Crown Court. Represented KH who had been charged with possession of a weapon namely a Linher handy prod stun gun designed or adapted for the discharge of an electrical current. We successfully persuaded the court that the Linher cattle prod did not conform to the definition of a prohibited weapon. A not guilty verdict was entered.
R -v -SG. Sheffield Crown Court. Adam Law Solicitors represented SG for Possession of ammunition, namely 119, 9mm Luger cartridges, 45, 38 Super Auto Calibre cartridges and 30, 9mm Short calibre cartridges without holding a Firearm certificate as well as Being Concerned in the supply of Class A drugs. SG put forward a basis of plea which was accepted by the Crown. SG received a Suspended sentence.
R v KH. Sheffield Crown Court. Represented KH who had been charged with possession of a weapon namely a stun gun designed or adapted for the discharge of an electrical current. Successfully persuaded the court that the stun gun did not conform to the definition of a prohibited weapon. A not guilty verdict was entered.
Sexual Offences
R-v-MS & others. Sheffield Crown Court. Operation Thrail. Adam Law Solicitors represented MS in a 10 week multi handed grooming case. The case attracted extensive national media coverage.
R-v- RA. Nottingham Crown Court. The defendant had been charged with two counts of Rape of a female under the age of 16 years and was looking at a long custodial sentence if convicted. Adam Law Solicitors successfully managed to secure a Suspended Sentence after negotiating a lesser charge with the Crown Prosecution Service. The barrister who was instructed on the matter stated “A suspended sentence when he was facing two counts of rape on a 15 year old originally is an excellent result if you don’t mind me saying.”
R-v- BH. Sheffield Crown Court. The case involved historical sexual offending. We represented BH who was tried for multiple counts of Indecency with a child and Indecent assault over a period of time where such offences carry maximum sentences of 10 years imprisonment. The defendant was a minor at the time and in later life diagnosed with autism. Following successful submissions, BH was spared a prison sentence. The case attracted widespread media interest.
R-v-LS. Sheffield Crown Court. Represented LS in a multi hander conspiracy to pervert the course of justice as part of a wider sexual abuse case. After trial LS was acquitted.
R -v- MM Leeds Crown Court – represented MM in a 10 day rape trial where he was accused of multiple counts of serious rape over a number of years. MM was acquitted.
Kidnapping
R-v- AS, Basildon Crown Court. Represented the defendant in a multi handed kidnapping case. Successfully negotiated a lesser charge. The case attracted widespread media attention.
R-v- HS & another, Sheffield Crown Court. Adam Law Solicitors represented HS who was charged with False Imprisonment involving serious assault and torture. The case attracted media coverage.
R-v-MA . Sheffield Crown Court. Represented MA in a kidnapping case involving two defendants.
Robbery
R-v- LF. Sheffield Crown Court. Represented LF where she was charged with Robbery. The defendant denied the allegations and was acquitted.
Arson with Intent to Endanger life
R-v- NK. Sheffield Crown Court. Represented NK where he was tried for Arson with intent to endanger life where substantial damage was caused to adjoining properties. We instructed a Fire Investigation Expert to determine whether any fire damage to the building and the defendant’s clothing was consistent with the defendant starting the fire. After trial the defendant was acquitted.
Assault
R-v WS. Nottingham Crown Court., Operation Hames. Represented a client in a multi hander affray with five defendants. The victim, who was a student from the Middle East, died of a stroke after falling into a coma following the incident. This case attracted huge international media coverage and worldwide campaigns against the defendants. WS was spared imprisonment.
R-v- DL. Leeds Crown Court. Represented DL. In a multi hander serious assault (section 18) and violent disorder trial involving seven defendants.
R -v- BB. Sheffield Crown Court. represented BB who was accused of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. The Complainant had suffered horrific head injuries. BB was acquitted.
R -v- JR. Sheffield Crown Court. represented JR on a matter of Affray where he was accused of swinging a pool. cue. The defendant was spared a prison sentence. The case attracted media interest.
Section 18 Assault
R-v- NM, Sheffield Crown Court. Represented the defendant who had pleaded guilty for causing grievous bodily harm with intent where it was alleged the defendant had used his car to drive into the victim. . Successfully appealed against sentence at the Court of Appeal where the appeal had been made on the basis the learned Judge gave no weight, and made no adjustment for, the mitigating factors, the Judge erred in considering the case fell within category one of the sentencing guidelines and where the Judge erred in making no adjustments regarding the Covid-19 pandemic. The case attracted widespread media attention.
Causing Serious Injury by Dangerous Driving
R-v- IT. Manchester Crown Court. represented IT who had been charged with causing serious injury with dangerous driving where the victim had suffered injuries resulting in being hospitalised for two months. IT was spared prison.
Criminal Damage Conspiracies
R -v- EJ. Sheffield Crown Court. Represented the client in a multi handed conspiracy to commit criminal damage in the form of graffiti on trains involving Northern trains, East Midlands trains and Virgin trains causing extensive damage over a period of time. EJ received a suspended sentence.