Daniel Higgins

Junior alone representing a defendant in an ongoing seven week long complex drug, firearms and money laundering trial. Daniel’s defendant is accused of laundering over £1m cash in a safe in her own home, on behalf of the first defendant, during the Indictment period. The case has required a detailed analysis of the content of telephone messages between the defendant and others, EncroChat material, surveillance and visual footage. Bristol Crown Court.

News report.

Led junior in the successful defence at a re-trial of a defendant accused of attempted murder following the alleged revenge attack for an earlier murder. The case attracted media interest as a member of the defendant’s group shot and killed himself when hitting a sawn-off shotgun against a vehicle. Daniel and his leader did not represent the defendant at the original trial, in which the defendant was convicted of certain offences, which undermined the then defence of non-presence. The jury were informed of that during the re-trial, and therefore the presentation of the defence case required considerable tactical decision-making. Woolwich Crown Court.

News report.

Junior alone representing a defendant in a six week long, serious organised drugs conspiracy. Daniel’s defendant, the youngest in the conspiracy, claimed that he was a victim of Modern Slavery, which required a careful and detailed presentation of this defence, hampered by the absence of a positive conclusive grounds decision from the Single Competent Authority and in the face of significant documentary and prison intercept evidence. Maidstone Crown Court.

News report.

Junior alone representing a defendant in an eight week long, large-scale County Lines conspiracy. Following a detailed analysis of thousands of pages of telephone and other evidence, and extensive cross-examination of the Crown’s drugs and cell-site experts, Daniel’s defendant was acquitted. Snaresbrook Crown Court.

News report.

Led junior in a successful prosecution of 12 defendants for the kidnapping and false imprisonment of a victim, who was taken to a number of different addresses during the course of the lengthy incident.

Successful prosecution as junior alone, of a police officer who defrauded the Metropolitan Police Service of over £100k, through the submission of forged/altered medical certificates. The Defence were relying upon the Defendant genuinely suffering from a condition known as Fibromyalgia, and therefore wasn’t dishonest. Daniel had to cross-examine an expert rheumatologist in respect of this, and also clearly presented various strands of evidence to demonstrate that the Defendant was working actively in order to rebut Defence suggestions of immobility. Southwark Crown Court.

News report here

Led junior in a five week long, highly sensitive and complex, prosecution trial of the rarely prosecuted offence of conspiracy to procure a miscarriage through the administration of a drug, before a High Court Judge. Complex legal issues had to be determined, such as the legal definition of ‘miscarriage’, and whether the mother was a ‘victim’ and therefore could not be a party to the conspiracy. St Albans Crown Court.

News report here

Led junior in a successful prosecution of over 20 defendants in an undercover Class A drug dealing operation, over a series of four trials, which  was instigated following national media interest after members of the local community had sought to combat the issue. Snaresbrook Crown Court.

News report here

Junior alone representing 2^nd defendant in a four week long complex money laundering conspiracy trial. Following extensive cross-examination by Daniel of the 1st defendant in a cut-throat defence, his client was acquitted whereas the 1st defendant and others were convicted. St. Albans Crown Court.

Led junior in high profile six week trial involving the double attempted murder of wife, and endangerment of children, by means of (a) tampering with the domestic gas supply, and (b) tampering with the wife’s parachute. Daniel had to undertake detailed and extensive cross examination of experts in gas fittings and tool-marks. Winchester Crown Court

News story here

Successfully defended in trial involving allegations that the Defendant had carried out serious sexual offences against the younger sister of his (ex) partner. Daniel had to deal with extensive evidence against the defendant, which came from various witnesses of fact as well as electronic evidence, and he was praised by the Judge for his sensitive handling of the case. St Albans Crown Court

Two week prosecution of defendant accused of an offence of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, on the basis that a police officer’s leg was broken when it was alleged that the defendant was resisting arrest. Complex legal argument was engaged relating to issues which included the legality of arrest, causation, and recklessness. St Albans Crown Court.

Prosecuted, as junior alone, two defendants accused of attempted murder of a victim who was seeking to assist with the removal of one of the defendant’s possessions from a flat. He was struck over the head with a bottle and stabbed a number of times. St Albans Crown Court.

News story here