News & Events: Criminal
Mark Ashley successfully represents client accused of Conspiracy to carry out Armed Robbery
Mark Ashley has successfully defended a woman who was one of nine co-defendants charged with Conspiracy to commit Armed Robbery. The target premises was Franses Jewelers of Bournemouth and over £650,000 worth of watches and jewellery was taken during the raid in March of 2019. The gang that carried out the robbery travelled down […]
Members appear for Prosecution and the Defence in complex child cruelty trial
Sarah Jones QC / Frank Abbott and James Newton-Price QC / Andy Houston appear for the Prosecution and the Defence respectively in a long and complex child cruelty trial at Southampton Crown Court. Sarah Jones QC and Frank Abbott prosecuted a female defendant who was charged with multiple offences of causing grievous bodily harm […]
Couple who abused vulnerable young boys successfully prosecuted
James Newton-Price QC and Andrew Houston successfully prosecuted a male couple who abused vulnerable young boys at their home in Southampton from 2000 to 2005. The leading defendant received an extended sentence of 23 years for rape and multiple sexual offences, following his conviction after a trial lasting four weeks. He was investigated by the […]
Sarah Jones QC defending murder suspect
Sarah Jones QC of Pump Court Chambers is currently defending murder suspect Shaun Dyson accused of killing his estranged wife. Mr Dyson, 28, is accused of killing, Lucy-Anne Rushton by repeatedly stamping and jumping on her at her home in Andover, Hampshire. A jury at Winchester Crown Court heard a tearful Mr Dyson say “I […]
Woman avoids jail for attempting to blackmail Premier League footballer
A woman who was filmed in bed with a cheating Premier League footballer has avoided jail, having attempted to blackmail him. The footballer, who has lifelong anonymity, requested that Natalie Wood, 28, send him sexual videos, before arranging to meet her in a hotel. A plan was then hatched for two men to burst in […]
The Murder of Lucy McHugh: Legal Challenges in R v Stephen Nicholson
I was instructed to defend Stephen Nicholson, aged 25, who was charged with the murder and multiple sexual offences against Lucy McHugh, a 13-year-old girl. The trial took place before Mrs. Justice May at Winchester Crown Court earlier this year. Nicholson lived as a lodger in the same house as Lucy and her family in […]
Homelessness & Offending Rates – An inextricable link
The Homelessness Reduction Act (HRA) 2017 came into effect on 3rd April 2018 and places new legal duties on local authorities so that everyone who is homeless, or at risk of homelessness, should have access to meaningful help, irrespective of their priority need status, as long as they are eligible for assistance. The Act amends […]
Case Commentary – R v O [2019] EWCA 1389
Introduction 1. In R v O [2019] EWCA Crim 1389, the Court of Appeal gave further guidance on when a conviction may be unsafe where the defendant was a Victim of Trafficking (“VOT”). The Court concluded that there is a “settled approach to these cases”. This approach requires three questions to be posed: 1) Is […]
Defendant pleads guilty after hearing opening of case by Sarah Jones QC
A man with a history of stalking offences pleaded guilty to one count of encouraging another to aid and abet murder by providing a gun and ammunition and one count of making a threat to kill. Matthias Brandt, of Horsham Road, Swindon, had initially denied claims he planned to kill his ex-partner. However he changed […]
Sarah Jones QC successfully represents client accused of attempted murder
Sarah Jones QC has successfully represented a man arrested over the attempted murder of his first girlfriend following a four day trial at Portsmouth Crown Court. The defendant had been accused of attacking his ex-partner with a 2.5in tomato knife leaving her with six wounds and a cut thumb and finger. Members of the jury […]
HHJ Anne Brown
Pump Court Chambers is delighted to announce that Anne Brown has been appointed a Circuit Judge. Anne will sit at Kingston Crown Court. On joining Chambers, Anne gained a reputation as one of the leading juniors on the Western Circuit maintaining a strong and loyal following from local firms and gaining recognition from the leading […]
HHJ Judge Cottle
We are deeply saddened by the tragic news that one of our former members of chambers H.H. Judge Cottle has passed away. Graham Cottle was an exceptional barrister and having joined from 4 Pump Court he quickly built up a very successful criminal practice on Circuit before being elevated to the Bench. He had been […]
