Mahmud Aslam, instructed by Elif Ozkes of Thompson Solicitors, secures a not guilty verdict for his client charged with GBH (s18) following a 2 week trial at Canterbury Crown Court.

The case was a highly unusual case, in that the victim had been stabbed several times with a knife including in the head, and whilst three defendants had initially been arrested in close proximity to the stabbing in 2015, only one defendant had been charged. The injuries were said to be life threatening and the initial arrests were for attempted murder. The victim had been uncooperative and did not give evidence at trial.

The sole defendant, after trial in 2017, was convicted of a section 18 offence and received a sentence of 13 years imprisonment and an extended license period of 4 years. That conviction was subsequently appealed to the Court of Appeal, on the basis of fresh evidence, in that the victim, as a result of media coverage, had subsequently come forward to state that the convicted defendant was not part of the attack but had helped and assisted him as a peace maker whist being attacked by the others. The Court of Appeal quashed the conviction and remitted the case back for retrial at which stage, the prosecution elected to add to the Indictment, the two others who had initially been arrested but not charged, including Mahmud’s client.

Unsuccessful attempts were made by the Defence to stay the proceedings on the basis of abuse of process. The trial commenced in November 2021, the defendants’ case was that he was not at the scene at the material time but was on the way to the scene when stopped in the motor vehicle with other co-defendants, one of whom had the blood of the victim on his clothing. Despite resistance by the Defence, the Prosecution were allowed, under the bad character provisions to adduce the previous conviction of the defendant of Violent Disorder, where one individual had been stabbed and a previous conviction relating to firearms. The defendant had given a no comment interview and did not give or call any evidence. The defendant was acquitted of the section 18 offence but convicted of a section 20 offence and awaits sentence whilst on bail. The other two defendants were also convicted of section 20. The defendant who had previously received 13 years imprisonment was sentenced to three years imprisonment.

Mahmud’s full profile: https://greatjames.co.uk/members/mahmud-aslam/