Senior Partner Comments on Operation Rize on Television

Jeffrey Lewis appeared on ITV’s Tonight programme (29/07/10) which focused on Asset Confiscation.

See ITV player http://www.itv.com/news/tonight/.

Another Great Success for Lewis Nedas

Siobhain Egan recently represented an individual accused of blackmail. The alleged victim is a man currently on parole after having been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of seventeen years for a drugs conspiracy.

He alleged that our client had blackmailed him concerning a sum of £1.75 million which, according to the alleged victim, was the value of the drugs in his prosecution. The alleged victim then attempted to withdraw the allegation stating that a member of his family who lived in Northern Cyprus had been threatened. Unfortunately for him, the relative was in London at the time and before he returned to Cyprus he voluntarily swore an affidavit denying that he had been threatened by anyone. This was forwarded to the CPS who still wished to proceed with the prosecution against our client.

We then discovered that the alleged victim had not been full and frank concerning his confiscation statement and identified his beneficial interest in a property company with substantial assets. We again put this to the CPS who insisted that they intended to proceed.

Our client denied any involvement in this allegation all along and eventually, some five and a half months later on the day of trial, he was released when the CPS finally dropped the prosecution against him.

Court of Appeal Success

Miles Herman acted recently for Sukhbir Dhillon who was convicted of sexual offences in a particularly high profile case which attracted much media interest. The conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal on the grounds that the verdicts were inconsistent, and the Court of Appeal have subsequently ordered that there should not be a re-trial in this case.

Mr Dhillon was magnificently represented by Sarah Whitehouse of Counsel (6 King’s Bench Walk).

Read the full judgement at http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/2010/1577.html.

A local Hertfordshire newspaper has published an article on the after-effects of the judgement on the client, find it at http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/Hertfordshire/I-was-branded-as-some-kind-of-animal.htm.

Lewis Nedas Welcomes New Property Specialist to Firm

We are delighted to announce that Barry Hellewell has joined our busy, buoyant conveyancing and property department, working with Richard McConnell.

Barry has been qualified for over thirty years and until recently was a partner in a well established practice in Hertfordshire. He is a very able and experienced practitioner whose expertise also includes probate, company and commercial matters (focusing upon small to medium sized businesses).

Superb Acquittal for Lewis Nedas

Jeffrey Lewis acted for an individual who was tried concerning an allegation of kidnapping. Our client along with a number of others found that an employee of theirs had stolen from the firm and colleagues. They took him in a car to the local police station but when they arrived there the alleged victim claimed that he had been kidnapped. Our client gave a full detailed explanation in interview, as did the other defendants, but still the police and the CPS decided to charge. Our client was duly acquitted by a Basildon jury. He was superbly represented by Martin Lewis of counsel (Castle Chambers).

Yet Another Spectacular Acquittal for Lewis Nedas

Jeffrey Lewis and Cheryl Rudden acted for Adrian Dodson, the former British, commonwealth and world boxing champion, who faced trial concerning an allegation of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. He was brilliantly represented by Michael Levy of counsel (2 Bedford Row) and acquitted of all charges.