John Hurlock success in youth murder

John Hurlock, instructed by Lizzie Sieprawska of Virdee Solicitors, successfully represented a 17-year-old defendant facing trial at the Central Criminal Court for murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place.

Following service of a detailed defence case statement and disclosure requests and John’s successful opposition to witness anonymity applications, the Crown offered no evidence and not guilty verdicts were entered. 

X was 16 years old at the time when he fatally stabbed a male in the chest during a knife fight.  X claimed that he was acting in self defence (after being stabbed himself) and in defence of his friend.  A detailed defence case statement was served setting out X’s account and requesting disclosure.  In particular targeted disclosure requests were made in relation to the deceased and his friends, seeking details of their previous convictions, cautions, and intelligence about their criminal behaviour and, in particular, disclosure of material relating to a previous incident in the same park relating to a similar incident where  a 16-year-old youth lost his life in a knife attack. 

The Crown attempted to rely on evidence from anonymous “eye-witnesses” who claimed to have seen the fight.  John, arguing that the anonymous witnesses were not independent and may have been involved in the fatal altercation, successfully persuaded the Judge to refuse to allow anonymity for the witnesses.  Following John’s successful opposition to the anonymity applications the Crown offered no evidence on both counts. Not guilty verdicts were entered.