Following a five-day trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, David Langwallner, instructed by Mark French of Montague Solicitors, secured acquittals on counts of unlawful wounding with intent (s.18 GBH) and unlawful wounding (s.20 GBH). The jury could not decide on a third count relating to the possession of a bladed article, and the Prosecution is not seeking a retrial.
The case concerned a stabbing outside a Pub in Islington. The Prosecution alleged that the Defendant and a group of other males approached the victim and stabbed him multiple times in a targeted attack. The victim of the stabbing did not attend court to give evidence, so the case was based largely on CCTV covering before and after the incident as well as other circumstantial evidence. The video evidence showed the Defendant in possession of what was contended to be a machete.
The Defendant accepted that he was present at the time of the stabbing, however disputed having anything to do with the attack or any intention to cause really serious harm; he also denied summoning others to attack the victim. The Defendant argued that had not taken the alleged machete to the scene but instead picked it up after the attack to stop it being used in any further violence.
The case involved complex legal arguments about intention. Further, the Defence argued that key witnesses had not been identified at the scene and that other reasonable lines of enquiry had not been followed by the police.
