The allegation against Edward’s client was that he strangled a bouncer at a nightclub in Bournemouth in September 2025, which was started by an argument over the bouncer refusing the Defendant to use a set of stairs to gain access to another area of the club. The argument escalated and it was alleged that the Defendant strangled the bouncer with two hands to the point of suffocation, before he punched another bouncer in the face who had subsequently arrived to assist his colleague. The Crown’s case centred on CCTV footage which captured the incident, live witness evidence, and photos of injuries purported to have been caused by the Defendant’s actions. Edward’s client maintained that he acted in self-defence and that he had held the bouncer by his shirt.
Edward meticulously analysed the CCTV footage obtained by the defence upon a disclosure request which he was able to use to support his client’s case. Edward crossed examined both witnesses extensively who were adamant that the defendant had strangled the complainant with both hands. After the conclusion of the prosecution’s evidence, the allegations had significantly departed from what was originally relied upon by the Crown. Edward was able to show to the jury a number of significant inconsistencies throughout the evidence of both witnesses, and was able to dismantle their credibility after it came to light on the morning of the second day of trial that the witnesses had spoken to each other before they provided witness statements to police.
As a result, the Crown offered no evidence on count three of the indictment (assault by beating) upon the conclusion of cross examination of the second prosecution witness. Edward subsequently opposed an application by the Crown to amend the indictment and made a submission of No Case to Answer after the conclusion of the Crown’s case on the remaining counts – intentional strangulation and assault by beating. The judge agreed with those submissions and directed the jury to enter not guilty verdicts.
Edward can be instructed in all areas of criminal and regulatory law.
