Leading law firm specialising in defending allegations of murder and manslaughter
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Murder Case Studies
2025 – R v B: Manchester Crown Court
This was a tragic and very unusual case. In 2016, the defendant pleaded guilty to the wounding of his brother in a freak incident where he inflicted a single stab wound to the brother’s neck which severed the spinal cord and left the victim paralysed from the neck down. The client was sentenced to a 4-year sentence.
Some 8 years later the victim died from illnesses which the pathologist stated were caused by the injuries inflicted by our client in 2016. Despite extensive medical investigations and expert reports, the findings concluded that the victim died because his disability, caused by our client’s actions in 2016, left him unable to fight the illness. He therefore pleaded guilty to the offence of manslaughter. Despite having already served his sentence for the same incident, the Judge sentenced him to a further 28 months imprisonment for manslaughter.
Paralysed man dies six years after brother stabbed him in neck on Christmas Day – The Mirror
2025 - R v R: Liverpool Crown Court
Olliers represented one of four defendants who stood trial at Liverpool Crown Court in January and February 2025 before Mr Justice Goss. The defendants were all former contractors of a company engaged to provide customer services support across the Metrolink in Greater Manchester from 2011 onwards.
They were charged with manslaughter, and our client faced an additional charge of perverting the course of justice. The manslaughter charges related to an incident involving a member of the public who was followed off the Metrolink platform and station; following a pursuit he was then restrained by the staff about a mile away in central Manchester.
This was an extremely complex case involving multiple experts in respect of causation, as well as health and safety and general common law considerations relating to the lawfulness of the detention and the control and restraint techniques that may have been used.
Our client was acquitted of both counts which was clearly the best possible outcome for him and he was very grateful for the work done on his behalf and the advice provided throughout.
Instructed counsel were Fiona Horlick KC and Rosalind Emsley-Smith Tram worker will not face retrial over man’s death.
2025 - Bristol Crown Court/Court of Appeal: Conviction for manslaughter quashed
Representation of a neurodivergent juvenile defendant in a multi-handed murder case. The client was only 16 at the time of the allegation and presented with complex communication needs. The case demanded meticulous preparation, an in-depth understanding of neurodiversity within the criminal justice system and careful management of the sensitive issues arising from joint enterprise.
Our client was initially convicted of manslaughter which had a profound impact on him due to his age and vulnerabilities. We advised there were strong grounds to appeal. The Court of Appeal ultimately agreed and quashed the conviction, ordering a retrial.
In the lead‑up to the retrial, our team undertook extensive further preparation, including renewed expert evidence, detailed legal analysis and sustained engagement with the prosecution. Ultimately, the Crown offered no evidence, leading to our client’s full acquittal and his release after almost two years in custody.
2024 - Operation Sandpiper: Manchester Crown Court
This was a high-profile murder case following the death of Kennie Carter in Stretford. Our client was one of 10 defendants charged with joint enterprise murder. At the time of the incident, he was 15 but turned 18 during the course of the trial and was named at its conclusion. This case resulted in a not guilty verdict on Murder but guilty to manslaughter presumably on the basis that the jury believed our client’s conduct whilst unlawful fell short of that required for joint enterprise murder in that there was no evidence he encouraged the assailant with the intention that he kill or cause really serious injury to the deceased.
2023 – Operation Perth: Liverpool Crown Court
We represented a client in what was a very high profile and tragic murder case involving the death of a young woman in her home who was shot with an automatic weapon due to a drug dispute involving her boyfriend.
Our client was said to be the driver of the gunman. His role, the prosecution said, was a foot soldier, and that he must have shared the intention of the gunman to kill or cause really serious harm to the victim without pulling the trigger himself. The defendant’s case was that at the time of the shooting he was at home with his family and both parents were called to provide alibi evidence.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-merseyside-67488774
2023 – Operation Pavecrest: Leeds Crown Court
This was a highly unusual case. In 2011 a man disappeared. His body was found some 10 years later in a wooded area near to Halifax. A witness came forward to describe how the victim had been tortured before being stabbed to death. Our client was said to have been involved in the murder whilst not actually inflicting the fatal stab wound himself.
2023 – R v S: Manchester Crown Cout
In 2023 we represented a juvenile defendant accused of the murder of a 17-year-old. The entire incident was captured on ring doorbell/CCTV footage. Our client was just 16 and presented a defence that he accepted inflicting the stab wounds in defence of his friend who was fighting with the deceased at the time.
2021 - Operation Denmark: Carlise Crown Court
Our client was the girlfriend of a man wanted for the murder of another in a pub in Carlisle. Our client assisted the defendant to purchase a change of clothes and items intended to conceal his identity and she also helped him leave the country. She pleaded guilty to the offence of assisting an offender (murder) and received a short custodial sentence which was reduced further on appeal.
Pair who helped Carlisle murderers flee have sentences increased – GOV.UK
2021 – R v K: Old Bailey
Our client was a woman in her 70s. She was charged with the murder of a drug dealer in South London along with her two sons. Before the trial took place, her charge was reduced from murder to one of perverting the course of justice in that it was alleged she assisted her son in attempting to dispose of (by burning) the body of the deceased. The trial lasted some weeks at the Old Bailey and she was convicted of that offence. Her son eventually pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
2017 – Operation Troop: Manchester Crown Court
This involved the murder of Abdul Hafidah in a gang related Moss Side murder.
Our client was a 15-year-old boy who had learning disabilities. He was charged with murder by joint enterprise in that he was part of the group who chased and killed the victim but there was no suggestion he has inflicted any violence on the victim, so it was for the jury to decide his role.
He was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. He received a relatively short custodial sentence which reflected his age, his disability and role.
Abdul Hafidah murder: Gang sentenced for Moss Side killing – BBC News
2016 - Operation Reactor: Chester Crown Court
The defendant was charged with the murder of a man who was having an affair with his wife. The unusual nature of this case was that the assault on the victim left him with a small cut which was treated in hospital. The client was arrested for GBH but the victim did not wish to take matters further. Unfortunately, the cut became infected and the victim sadly died of sepsis two days later. The defendant was charged with murder.
The trial took place at Chester Crown Court. The defence case was that he believed the victim to be a burglar. He struck the man during the course of a struggle. He had no intention to cause really serious harm. The jury found the defendant not guilty of murder but convicted him of manslaughter. He received a sentence of 7 years.
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