NIGEL EDWARDS KC

Murder Cases

R v Cambridge
An 18 year old who found his girlfriend in the clutches of another man as the new years’ bells chimed in. a fight took place outside the pub, all caught on CCTV, where a single blow from a small craft knife pierced the aorta of the deceased who collapsed in the middle of giving the defendant a good hiding. The trial was run on the basis of self-defence but the defendant was convicted. The judge accepted there was no intention to kill and barley to cause grievous bodily harm and thus passed a minimal sentence of 12-years. Led by Guy Kearl QC.

R v Samwell
The eldest of five children aged between 11 and 16 years. The allegations involved the suggestion that they had acted in joint enterprise to kill a young man aged 19 as he had walked home from a night out in Town. The defence in the case was that the group had indeed attacked him but that the fatal blow was delivered by a relative of one of the very youngest of the group. The crown applied to keep evidence suppressed as being unreliable for a variety of reasons. Once the learned High court judge dismissed the application the crown were forced to accept pleas to GBH. Led by Simon Myerson QC.

R v Hafiz
Allegations of gangland conspiracy to murder. The case involved 7 defendants, complex cell-site analysis, prison intercepts, voice analysis and much more besides. This defendant was the first lieutenant to the gang leader. The investigation involved the attempted shooting of a witness to another crime followed by the murder of the failed assassin. On day one of the trial my leader was sacked and my application for further time to instruct new leading counsel refused. The defendant was acquitted of conspiracy to murder but convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Led by Graham Highland QC initially, then Simon Myerson QC before acting as Leading Junior.

R v Jones
Allegations of conspiracy to commit murder, involving Pakistani and Afghani drugs gangs assisted by their street runners. This defendant was said to have been involved in the build up and aftermath. At the commencement of the trial the prosecution reduced charges to conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. The jury found him guilty of one out of two counts. Sentenced to time served. Leading Junior.

R v Baxter
Allegations of Conspiracy to commit murder and Armed Robbery. Highly controversial case involving tracking analysis, cell site analysis and voice analysis.
The conspiracy to murder came to light whilst the gang of 6 was being tracked and bugged following an investigation into a series of armed robberies across Britain. In the course of one such interception a plan was heard to murder a local gangster.

The police intercepted four of the group on the way to commit the murder, including this defendant. Convicted after trial, leave to appeal granted on the admissibility of voice analysis evidence and the nature of the crowns expert. Expected to become the leading case on such matters. Lead by Andrew Stubbs QC.

R v Perry
The night of the first England world cup game against the USA. This defendant was alleged to have gotten into a fight with the deceased. A single punch caused the deceased to fall to the floor hitting his head, causing fatal injuries and which take their effect several days later. The defendant was originally charged with murder but this was reduced to manslaughter for trial. At the end of o two-week trial the defendant was acquitted after close analysis of available CCTV and questioning of the many witnesses. Leading Junior.

R v Knowles
Murder of a major Somali drug dealer by a West Indian rival drug lord. Ongoing. Led by Abbas Lakha QC.

Cases involving Violence

R v Mahmood
Multi count, multi Defendant violent disorder alleged to involve the same victims on dates many months apart. This Defendant was first on the indictment and the main alleged perpetrator of violence. In the end after extensive requests from the crown and submissions to the judge, the case was dropped save a minor matter allowing for the Defendants immediate release from prison after remand.

Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Cases

R v Holroyd
High profile case involving a man of good character who had spent 20 years beating and raping his wife. The Defendant pleaded guilty at the first opportunity after advice. He was sentenced after the receipt of various reports in relation to him and his own problems. 8 years was in the event a good sentence.

Drugs Cases

R v Nguyen
Multi-million pound, multi-defendant conspiracy to produce and distribute cannabis. This Defendant was said to be one of the leading players. The crowns case was scene specific on one hand and loaded heavily with telephone and banking evidence. The case resolved on the day of trial after significant work on a much lower basis and a sentence allowing for immediate deportation, that being the Vietnamese Defendants desire. First on the indictment.

R v Rowley
Transportation into of and the Supply of drugs into prison by a serving prison on home release. This was a complex case involving a variety of considerations of material and significant cross examination and examination of expert witnesses involved in the Defendants own drug use and needs. Acquitted of the significant counts and guilty of simple possession.

R v Hunt
A case of alleged conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs together with car ringing. This case took up my life from September 2009 to December 2010 and has been described as one of the longest running and most expensive drugs trials in recent years. This defendant was first on an indictment of 7 said to have set up and run a multi-million pound drugs factory/ bash house. The police had observed the premises over many weeks and made several incursions into the property. The defendant and his co-accused were well known to the police and high on the list of most wanted within the GMP area. The day the defendants were arrested almost a kilo of heroin was found in the factory together with all the necessary accoutrements for producing drugs. The defendant’s case was that he was a sole-trader mixing and dealing nothing more than amphetamine, and that the heroin was planted by the police. This was a highly complex case that involved a multiplicity of issues and led to the first prosecution of a juror for face booking a defendant, albeit acquitted at the time, whilst still deliberating.

The defendant was acquitted of everything except being a sole-trader and mixer of amphetamine paste. The sentence passed amounted to time served. Leading Junior to two juniors.

FHC v Watson
A case of an English lorry driver stopped on the outskirts of Paris with almost a ton of cannabis hidden within his load of pottery. I was initially instructed as an observer but was granted full rights of audience by the senior judge when I had to intervene to properly explain and then examine a cell site expert. The defendant was acquitted of the drugs charges but convicted of failing to properly list the contents of his lorry on the manifest i.e. he didn’t say he was carrying a ton of cannabis. He was fine £750 000 for this. A non-enforceable nor arrestable fine that prevented any claim for 2 years false imprisonment. Many others involving gang related multimillion-pound importation and supply conspiracies.