Mahmud Aslam, instructed by Ekene Franklin Ogbonna of Dorcas Funmi & Co Solicitors, secured acquittals on allegations of Conspiracy to cause GBH, Violent Disorder and Conspiracy to Possess a bladed article in a Public Place.
Following a six-week trial at Leicester Crown Court, involving eight defendants, the defendant was found Not Guilty of all charges.
The case arose following an episode of violence in Leicester City. It involved several university students, fighting in the street during the early hours of the morning. Some had been armed with weapons. The weapons included knives, metal poles, a crutch, baseball bat, machete, bollards and glass bottles, the use of some which led to the repeated stabbing of one individual, who sustained stab wounds to the back, groin, abdomen and knee. The primary evidence in the case consisted of CCTV cameras which had captured different aspects of the events. Mahmud argued that his client’s involvement was self -defence and the defence of others.
The defendant was seen on CCTV to enter the grounds, where he took possession of a large kitchen knife from a male co-defendant who had previously pleaded Guilty. The Prosecution alleged that the obtaining of the knife was to carry out a revenge attack on others involved in the earlier incident of violent disorder. The defendant remained with a female friend and when leaving, he was immediately arrested and searched but no knife was recovered. The female friend was a Prosecution witness and gave evidence at trial that the defendant had left with the knife. The arresting officers both in their witness statements and evidence given on oath at trial, maintained that the defendant on arrest, had an injury to his face, thereby implying he had been involved and engaged in the earlier incident of violent disorder. It was established at trial by the defence and eventually conceded by the Prosecution that there was no injury to the defendants face and that in fact it was a “boil” predating the violent disorder allegation. The defendant gave evidence at trial and accepted that in police interviews he had lied about his role in the violent disorder and that he had lied about ever possessing a knife at any stage that evening. He maintained that he had acted in self defence of himself and others and that he had no intention of possessing the knife in a public place. In relation to him wearing a balaclava, he maintained that it was essentially to partially hide the embarrassing “boil” he had on the bridge of his nose and not his identity.
The Jury returned verdicts of Not Guilty on all charges.
Mahmud’s full profile: https://greatjames.co.uk/members/mahmud-aslam/