R v AN & RDS [2026] EWCA 463

Phil was instructed as leading counsel for the prosecution in this case, in which the defendants engaged in a gun fight outside a Birmingham night club. As well as firing at and injuring each other, one shot fired by AN injured an innocent bystander. In addition to being guilty of shooting each other, both defendants were convicted of causing the bystander grievous bodily harm with intent. ADS appealed his conviction, arguing that he did not fire the shot and that the leading authority on transferred malice (R v Gnango [2011] UKSC 59)required substantial revision given the decision of the Supreme court in R v Jogee [2016] UKSC 8. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal but certified a point of law of general public importance for consideration by the Supreme Court.

R v A (Birmingham CC: 2026)

Phil led for the prosecution in this nationally reported case. JA was a stranger to the victim, whom he followed home on a bus before breaking into her premises, where he racially abused and tortured her. After the prosecution began calling its evidence, JA changed his pleas to ‘guilty’ and received a life sentence.

R v SD (Birmingham CC: 2026)

Phil defended with SD who was charged with the murder of his girlfriend’s ex partner. Fuelled by jealousy, SD recruited another man to assist him. In the dead of night, CCTV captured them buying petrol, which they poured over the sleeping victim’s front door and then ignited.  SD was acquitted of murder but convicted of manslaughter.

R v DW (Birmingham CC: 2026)

Phil defended SW, who killed his care worker in a frenzied attack. A paranoid schizophrenic, DW failed to take his medication and, at the time of the killing, was psychotic. The case resolved when the prosecution accepted DW’s guilty plea to Manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

R v MP (Birmingham CC 2026)

Phil prosecuted MP, who was charged with murder. Two brothers became involved in a dispute with some of the defendant’s associates when MP’s young son was present. MP went to the scene, collected some friends and sought out the brothers. Once located, he drove across a junction directly at them, instantly killing one of them. The prosecution case was that MP deliberately weaponised his car. The defence case was that he lost control of the vehicle, and the collision was a tragic accident. MP was convicted of murder and received a life sentence with a minimum term of 22 years. 

R v EH & Others: ‘Operation Leonis’ (Loughborough CC 2025)

Phil prosecuted a 7-handed murder, which arose out of a brutal stabbing in Stoke-on-Trent following a dispute over drugs.  The victim was intent on trouble and went to the area where many of the defendants lived. He attacked one of them before attempting to escape through the estate on foot.  The defendants jumped into cars and gave chase, eventually cornering him in an alleyway. CCTV captured three of them stabbing him to death in a frenzied attack. The first attacker changed his plea to ‘guilty’ mid-way through cross examination. The second changed his plea to shortly before he was due to give evidence. They received life sentences with minimum terms of 23 and 22 years respectively. The third escaped the jurisdiction before trial.

R v CL & EM: ‘Operation Inskip’ (Birmingham CC 2025)

Phil prosecuted CL and EM, who were tried for the attempted murder of TL.  In the early hours of New Year’s Day 2024 a disorder broke out in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.  Following that disturbance, CL and EM left the scene in CL’s car. When they returned shortly afterwards, CL was armed with a 9mm firearm.  CL jumped from the car and chased TL along Howard Street, before shooting him in the back. Immediately after being shot TL ran onto Constitution Hill, where he was struck by a taxi.  Both men were convicted of his attempted murder and await sentence.

R v Kyle Clifford: ‘The Crossbow Killer’ (Cambridge CC 2025)

In this notorious and widely reported case, Phil led Nicola Hunter (VHS Solicitors). KC admitted murdering three members of the Hunt family, one of them his ex-girlfriend, Louise.  He denied raping Lousie and was convicted of doing so.  He was sentenced a whole-life order.  This case was the subject of several documentaries.

R v DL (Lincoln CC 2025)

Leading Anna Soubry (also of KCH Chambers) Phil defended DL, a 60-year-old man charged with the murder of a fellow resident in a house of multiple occupation.  The deceased (RH) began an argument with DL over the keys. Shortly after that argument, RH went to DL’s room with a machete. DL took up his own knife, and a struggle ensued. RH was stabbed in the heart and sustained other cuts on the back of his head (sustained, the prosecution said, as DL chased RH down the stairs).  After deliberating for just 90 minutes, the jury acquitted DL of murder and manslaughter.

R v AI: ‘Operation Adumble’ (Birmingham CC 2025) 

Phil prosecuted AI for the murder of LJ.  When driving his car along the Coventry Road during the evening, the defendant took umbrage at LJ, who was pulling wheelies on an electric bike.  The defendant pursued LJ and twice drove into the back of him. On the second occasion, LJ was brought off his bike. He collided with a concrete bollard and died at the scene.  AI was convicted of murder and ordered to serve a minimum term of 20 years.

R v AO (Chester CC 2025)

Phil defended AO, who was charged with raping and indecently assaulting a child under 13. AO was acquitted of all charges.

R v LL: ‘Operation Compto’ (Birmingham CC 2025)

Phil prosecuted LL, who was charged with the brutal murder of his ‘friend’, CM.  After a drugs and drinking session, CM was subjected to a sustained attack in his own home, suffering more than 100 injuries. LL was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 26 years.

R v MK (Stoke on Trent CC 2025)

Phil defended MK, who was charged with murder. MK’s son phoned home telling his family that he was being chased in his car by a biker on a Harley Davidson. MK left his house, getting into his own car to intercept the chase.  When he saw his son’s vehicle (pursued by the biker) MK allowed his son to pass before pulling in front of the biker. The motorcyclist collided with MK’s vehicle, and its rider was thrown through the air. He died at the scene.  MK was acquitted of murder and convicted of manslaughter.

R v MJ (Worcester CC 2025)

Phil prosecuted MJ who was charged with and pleaded guilty to the homophobic murder of a man who offered him shelter following MJ’s most recent release from prison. The defendant subjected his victim to a sustained and gratuitous attack. This was reported nationally and was featured in the BBC’s documentary, ‘Murder 24/7’. 

R v ZN (Derby CC  2024)

Leading Nicola Hunter (VHS Solicitors) Phil defended ZN, who was charged with murder and serious assaults.  After drinking and taking drugs throughout the day, he became involved in an argument at the end of the night. Following that argument he went to a nearby car park, climbed into his van and drove into a crowd of pedestrians, causing the death of one innocent bystander and serious injury to two others. He was convicted of murder.

R v SS (Stafford CC 2024)

Phil defended SS – one of 5 defendants charged with the murder of a DPD delivery driver, who was ambushed in broad daylight as he delivered parcels in a Shrewsbury suburb. The prosecution case was that SS was the “inside man” who accessed the victim’s itinerary and provided the details of his route to his co-defendants, who then attacked him with an axe and other weapons. He sustained catastrophic injuries and died at the scene.  SS’s co-defendants were all convicted of murder. SS was acquitted of murder and convicted of manslaughter. This was one of a number of Phil’s cases that featured in the BBC series ‘Murder 24/7’

R v TP (Warwickshire Justice Centre 2023)

Phil represented TP, who was charged with raping two fellow pupils at a fee-paying school in Warwickshire. He was acquitted of all counts.

R v GC (Stafford CC 2023)

Phil prosecuted GC who was charged with the murder of his erstwhile wife. Believing that she had begun a new relationship with another man, he arranged to meet her at her home address, promising to pay money he owed her.  Before going to the house, he purchased petrol and set her alight inside the house. GC was convicted of murder and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 28 years.

R v O’C (Stoke on Trent CC 2023)

Phil represented a man charged with the murder of a drug addict, ‘JJ’. This was another widely reported case.  The prosecution case was that, before doing so, he bought a freezer in which to store her body. He then removed the body and burned it in a layby. O’C was convicted of murder.

R v JF (Wolverhampton CC 2023)

This widely reported case concerned the killing of 16-year-old Ronan Kanda who was killed by two youths brandishing swords and machetes. His attackers mistakenly believed he was one of their adversaries.  Phil represented the third defendant (JF) who was acquitted of murder and manslaughter. This case was the subject of numerous extended news reports and a documentary.

R v MJ (Manchester Crown Court 2023)

Phil defended MJ – a man with acute mental health difficulties who was charged with the murder of a man who had been a fellow patient in a mental hospital.  After the killing MJ decapitated the victim. 

R v JL (Stafford Crown Court 2023)

Phil represented JL, one of several men charged with the murder of a man at a party. The girlfriend of one of the defendants called him to say that she was being harassed at the party. The prosecution case was that JL went to the party with 8 other to effect revenge.  JL was acquitted of murder and manslaughter.

R v KL (Birmingham CC 2023)

Phil represented KL, a young D, charged with 4 others with the murder of a man outside an Asda supermarket in Redditch.  KL admitted possessing a knife, which he passed to the stabber immediately before the attack. KL was acquitted of murder and manslaughter.