Defendants acquitted of serious firearm conspiracy following six week trial.
27 November 2023
Following a 6-week trial, Henry Grunwald KC and Alexandra Monaghan’s clients were acquitted of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life, and conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
The prosecution case was that Alexandra’s client, who was in HMP Belmarsh at the time for unrelated offences, had conspired with his own mother (also a defendant) and with Henry’s client to recruit another person to commit the offence.
The prosecution’s case relied on recorded prison calls between him and his mother which the Crown said demonstrated a plan to exact retribution against the complainant. Another defendant (the person the Crown said was recruited by Henry and Alex’s clients) accepted being one of two people on a motorbike seen on CCTV to fire bullets through the front door of the complainant’s home address.
The Crown invited the jury to conclude that it could not be a coincidence that on the day that there were prison phone calls about the complainant, two men arrived on a motorbike outside their home and shot through the door.
The jury acquitted both defendants on all counts.
Henry and Alexandra were instructed by Krystle O’Donnell of EBR Attridge.
