Author: Hannah Wright

2KBW Chambers were very proud to participate in Saturday’s open day, hosted at Winchester Combined Court Centre.  With over 20 criminal justice participants, and a full programme of events such as mock trials, mock sentences, tours of the cells, presentations, displays, etc, the court welcomed over 5000 members of the public through its doors.  2KBW barristers took part in the mock trials and sentences, and we gave away hundreds of 2KBW branded goody-bags and branded windmills, which flew off the shelves!

 

2 KBW are proud to support HMCTS and be part of the open day at Winchester Crown Court on Saturday 18th March 2023.  This event is open to members of the public – doors at 10.30am.  Click on the leaflet link below for more information about participants, activities and timings.

FINAL LEAFLET WINCHESTER COMBINED COURT (1)

Arthur Hawrylewicz, aged 42, of Avondale Gardens, Cardiff, admitted attempted murder on the first day of his trial at Inner London Crown Court on 6th March 2023.  He was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing next month.

The court heard that the defendant drunkenly approached Ms Maria Osifeso at King’s Cross station last August.  As she approached the edge of the platform, he wrapped his arms around her waist in a bear hug style grip and lifted her off the ground, swinging her round in to the path of an oncoming train.  He released his grip only when a male friend of Ms Osifeso intervened, as horrified passengers looked on.  The defendant repeatedly banged his head against the side of the train before he was taken away.  Judge Benedict Kelleher warned the defendant to expect a lengthy custodial sentence.

Drunk passenger who tried to throw woman onto tracks at King’s Cross faces jail for attempted murder | Daily Mail Online

Shaye Groves, 27, has been found guilty by the jury of stabbing her on-off boyfriend to death in Havant, Hampshire, last July.  The defendant slit the throat of Frankie Fitzgerald, 25, before stabbing him 17 times in the chest.  Steven Perian KC told the jury the defendant had acted out of jealousy after she had found that Mr Fitzgerald has been messaging who she mistakenly thought was a 13-year-old girl on Facebook.  The individual turned out to be 17,  and had been blocked by Mr Fitzgerald.  Groves set up a false narrative of being abused by Fitzgerald but the Crown said that she was familiar with crime scenes and false alibi’s by reading about and watching murder documentaries.  Groves had framed pictures of serial killers on her walls and collected books about murderers and gangsters.

The defendant was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 23 years by The Hon Mr Justice Kerr at Winchester Crown Court on 22 February 2023.

https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=e2155da9dee2bb89JmltdHM9MTY3NjU5MjAwMCZpZ3VpZD0yZjc4NGIxYi1kYjk5LTYwMTktMzdhNy01YTBhZGFmYTYxNjEmaW5zaWQ9NTI0Nw&ptn=3&hsh=3&fclid=2f784b1b-db99-6019-37a7-5a0adafa6161&psq=shaye+groves&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5kZXBlbmRlbnQuY28udWsvbmV3cy91ay9jcmltZS93aW5jaGVzdGVyLWNyb3duLWNvdXJ0LWhhdmFudC1oYW1wc2hpcmUtYjIyODQ0MDEuaHRtbA&ntb=1

Serial killer fan Shaye Groves jailed for murdering boyfriend – BBC News

Two MOD officers were on static patrol in April 2022 when Prashanth Kandhaiah ran at them whilst holding a large kitchen knife.  He proceeded to make attempts to stab PC Digpaul and PC Pariso had to use a taser to subdue the defendant.  Both officers were recommended by His Honour Judge Hiddleston for commendations because their actions, which prevented anyone present that day from being seriously injured or killed.

Kandhaiah, aged 30, of Thamesmead, southeast London, was jailed for 30 months following trial at Southwark Crown Court.  The defendant claimed he was suicidal and was trying to get officers to kill him, telling the jury he went there to get shot.  He was cleared of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm but admitted possession of a bladed article.  The defendant was not present at court for sentence as he refused to attend via video link from Wandsworth Prison.  Defending, his counsel Mr Richard Craven told the court that the defendant believes he is half made of metal and that he is controlled by a wood pigeon.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11731857/amp/Suicidal-knifeman-charged-armed-Horse-Guards-Parade-officers-bid-shot-jailed.html

 

Bradley Pryer and Cain Adams were caught by an airport sniffer dog at Stansted Airport before they boarded a flight to Reykjavik with more than £6000 of cocaine hidden inside their bodies.  The drugs would have been worth three times that in Iceland.

Pryer was targeted by the Organised Crime Partnership (OCP) as part of Operation Venetic, which was the police’s response to the takedown of EncroChat – an encrypted communication service where drug dealers  conducted their businesses.  The EncroChat messages showed the value of the drugs he had supplied across the UK came to approximately £2.7 million.

Following earlier guilty pleas, Pryer was jailed for 12 years and Adams received a two-year suspended sentence at Chelmsford Crown Court on 13 January 2023.

Operation Venetic: EncroChat drug supplier attempted to smuggle cocaine to Iceland – National Crime Agency

That’s why drug dealers go to Iceland – to sell cocaine for three times its UK value – Wales Online

The trial continues at Winchester Crown Court of Shaye Groves, who is accused of murdering her boyfriend in his sleep last July in Havant, Hampshire.  Groves, 27, allegedly stabbed Frankie Fitzgerald 22 times after discovering he had been messaging a 13-year-old-girl.  She then tried to create a false alibi by texting a friend that Fitzgerald had walked out on her.  Groves went on to video-call a friend, Vikki Baitup, showing her the deceased’s body and saying she had “just lost it” and stabbed him in the neck whilst he slept.  When asked what she was going to with the body, Groves replied, ‘it’s alright, we are going to bury it in the back garden’.

Upon her arrest, Groves told police that Fitzgerald had tried to attack her.  The defendant denies murder.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-64248591

Oliver Weetch, instructed by GT Stewart Solicitors, defended MV who along with another defendant was charged with importing over 200kg of cocaine and heroin into the UK through the Eurotunnel with an approximate street value of 12 million pounds. It was the largest ever seizure of drugs through the tourist route at Coquelles in France (UK territory). MV was the driver of the van that contained all the drugs. At the end of a 10 day trial at Canterbury Crown Court he was unanimously acquitted by the jury of all charges he faced.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11576265/A-Dutch-van-driver-smuggling-200-kilos-coke-heroin-jailed-16-years.html

 

Chambers opening times over Christmas 2022 are:-

Monday 26th December – closed

Tuesday 27th December – closed

Wednesday 28th December – closed

Thursday 29th December – open 9am to 5pm

Friday 30th December – open 9am to 5pm

Monday 2nd January 2023 – closed

Tuesday 3rd January – open 9am to 6pm (usual working hours resumed)