Bernard Tetlow QC led Shahida Begum, both of the Garden Court Criminal Defence Team, and were instructed by Arlene Mansoor of Shearman Bowen Solicitors.
An unusual case where there was a death but the defendants' charges were changed shortly before trial from murder to attempted murder and wounding with intent. The prosecution accepted the deceased was an aggressor and lawful self-defence could not be negated during the first part of the incident, when the fatal wound was inflicted. However the prosecution proceeded with attempted murder on the basis that the defendants would not have known the deceased was already fatally wounded and there was an alleged joint attack during the second part of the incident with weapons, which was entirely unjustified. The second part of the incident was all captured on CCTV.
A case raising complex issues of law and CCTV visual and audio analysis.
The case was heard at Croydon Crown Court.