Ben Hargreaves leading Anisha Kiri are successful in submission of “no case to answer” on a count of attempted murder and 4 associated wounding and firearm offences.

The case concerned 6 individuals who were alleged of conspiring to steal cannabis from a drug dealer residing on an estate. The crown’s case was that the plan failed when the group were chased out of the block by the owner of the drugs who brandished a large knife at them. Upon reaching their vehicles,  it was said that Ben and Anisha’s client, who was 17 at the time, turned around, pulled out a handgun and shot the dealer on the left side of his chest. The vehicles then rapidly fled the scene.

Despite there being no eye-witnesses able to identify any of the individuals, over the course of the next 10 days all 6 individuals were arrested as police investigated car number plates, CCTV and mobile phone cell-site analysis.

The first individual to be arrested, provided a full comment interview accusing the 17-year-old of being the shooter. The remainder of the defendants provided a no comment interview and all 6 were remanded into prison. Upon being remanded, a different co-defendant was recorded discussing the incident with her friend on the prison telephones where she also claimed the 17-year-old to be the shooter.

Ben and Anisha successfully argued the admissibility of this evidence under the hearsay provisions and the judge ruled in their favour. A subsequent submission of no case to answer was successful.

Ben and Anisha were instructed by Paul Robinson of Goldkorn Solicitors.

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