Crime
R v PA and Others
September 2017, Birmingham Crown Court
Junior counsel instructed to represent three police officers charged with perverting the course of justice and perjury. The offences related to an incident involving the death of a black male in hospital while detained under the Mental Health Act. The defendants were acquitted of all charges.
R v GP
November 2016, Portsmouth Crown Court
Defended a man accused by his two stepdaughters of historically and repeatedly raping them when they were aged between 11 and 15 years old. The jury unanimously acquitted the defendant of 15 counts of rape and sexual assault and convicted him, by a majority, of only one incident which he admitted in evidence.
R v NM
November 2016, Aylesbury Crown Court
Successfully defended a man accused of making indecent images of a child on his mobile telephone. The defendant had met a 15-year-old girl on the dating app, Tinder, and had encouraged her to send him indecent images and videos of herself.
R v PC
March 2016, Portsmouth Crown Court
Represented a defendant who was found by the court to be unfit to plead and to stand trial. At a trial of the facts, his stepdaughter gave evidence that she was sexually abused by the defendant when she was young. Mr Coleman was unanimously found by the jury not to have committed the acts alleged in the 5-count indictment.
R v NW
July 2015, Central Criminal Court
Defended NW, the News of the World’s former Deputy Editor under Andy Coulson, against allegations of phone hacking. Bo was led by Neil Saunders in the trial, at the end of which NW was unanimously acquitted.
R v D & Others
November 2011 – April 2014, Central Criminal Court & Court of Appeal
Prosecuted 24 defendants for conspiracy to produce cannabis to the value of £125 million.
The prosecution was the culmination of a two year police investigation (the biggest of its kind) into an international organised criminal network, alleged to be responsible for the commercial cultivation of over £125m of cannabis in the UK. The network was alleged to have imported the requisite equipment through associated companies in China, Holland and Germany and was responsible for a high proportion of the industry up to point of arrest and the criminality includes various acts of intimidation and the use of trafficked and child labour. The materials in the case exceeded 250,000 pages of material from diverse sources and maintained in both paper and electronic format. The defendants pleaded guilty or were convicted after trial. The appeals against conviction and sentence were dismissed.
Health & safety, licensing and regulatory law
Re: WTF Ltd
January 2018, Southwark Council
Represented the licensee in an application for a premises licence in relation to a music festival called Gala, held in May 2018 in Peckham Rye Park. The application was granted notwithstanding objections from local residents relating to noise and other public nuisance issues.
Westminster City Council v Z Restaurant
January 2018
Drafted written representations on behalf of a company accused of breaching the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 with regard to a mice infestation at the premises, which resulted in a simple caution.
Westminster City Council v The W International
December 2017
Advised a company regarding an investigation into alleged breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 following the explosion of an electric water heater at the premises. The Council decided to take no further action.
HSE v CR Ltd
October 2016, Maidstone Crown Court
Prosecuted a company for failing to ensure the health and safety of its employees. The company owned a number of waste processing sites. During an accident at work, one of the employees received serious injuries when he was dragged under the magnetic bar of an industrial shredding machine. The defendant was fined a total of £300,000.
Professional discipline
NMC v NB
April 2018
Drafted written representations on behalf of a midwife accused of lacking competence in basic midwifery skills. The allegations included that NB had failed repeated competency assessments carried out by the Trust. The NMC decided that there was no case to answer and took no further action.
GDC v RK
July 2016, General Dental Council
Presented the case on behalf of the GDC at a hearing before the Professional Conduct Committee of the GDC. The allegations related to wide-ranging clinical failures relating to 18 separate patients. The Committee found that the facts proved amounted to misconduct and imposed conditions on the registrant’s practice.
GDC v MB
May 2014, General Dental Council
Represented the GDC at the misconduct hearing of a dentist with over 20 years’ experience. The Registrant was struck off for his misconduct in relation to an elderly patient whom he treated between the ages of 83-91 years.
NMC v GN
July 2013
Nursing and Midwifery Council
Represented the Registrant, who was accused of stealing medication from the hospital where she worked. She was given a caution.
NMC v KTd
February 2013
Nursing and Midwifery Council
Represented a Registrant who had been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at her misconduct hearing.
Public Law & Inquests
In the matter of TS
Ongoing, May 2018, Woking Coroner’s Court
Represented three Police Inspectors in charge of training firearms officers at Surrey Police in an inquest where the training programme had come under scrutiny following the death in police custody of TS who had been subjected to prolonged restraint while exhibiting symptoms of excited delirium.
In the matter of ST
Ongoing, April 2018, Walthamstow Coroner’s Court
Representing a provider of supported living accommodation at which ST was living when she was found deceased.
In the matter of SC
June 2014, Guildhall Coroner’s Court
Represented a police officer who was an interested party in the inquest into the death of a man who jumped off a hospital building where he was being held under the Mental Health Act.
In the matter of LI
January 2014, Nottingham Coroners’ Court
Represented the Office of Rail Regulation at an inquest into the death of a 12-year-old girl killed by a tram in Nottingham.
In the matter of SLP
February 2011
Southwark Coroner’s Court
Represented the doctor who examined the deceased at the police station prior to her death. Verdict of accidental death.
Extradition
Poland v MO
May 2014
Administrative Court, High Court
Represented the appellant whose extradition was sought by Poland. The requesting authority conceded on appeal that the offence described in the European Arrest Warrant was not an extradition offence.
Poland v MW
December 2012
Administrative Court, High Court
Successfully argued on appeal that the appellant’s rights and those of his partner and son under article 8 of the ECHR would be breached if he were to be extradited.