Not Guilty of Murder & Allowing Death of a Child

Case study summary

Our client was charged with murdering his 3-month-old child. We prepared a robust defence using extensive medical evidence. After three years, and 18 months in prison, the murder charge was dropped and he was unanimously acquitted of allowing the death and neglect of his child.

Case study

In May 2020, we were contacted by our client after the police arrested him for the murder of his 3-month old daughter. Having been arrested alongside his wife, he was distraught and grieving. He knew that as an innocent man he needed specialist murder solicitors and that is why he contacted us.

During a year long investigation, we supported our client and instructed an expert pathologist to conduct a second post-mortem. However, the evidence against our client and his wife was complex and they were both charged with murder. Our client maintained his innocence and welcomed the trial as he wanted to know what had happened to his child.

After careful review of the prosecution case, we knew we had to instruct experts with extensive experience in infant deaths. By the time of the trial, we had worked with pathologists, obstetricians, neuropathologists, and pediatricians. We also conducted cell site review which proved our client could not have been at home when certain injuries were inflicted. The outcome of all of the evidence pointed to one very sad reality; if it was not our client, it had to have been his wife.

Just weeks before trial was due to begin, our client's wife pleaded guilty to manslaughter. After careful consideration, the prosecution discontinued the murder charges against our client. While this was a significant result, the case continued and our client stood trial for allowing the death and neglect of his daughter.

We prepared a robust defence which was presented by Hossein Zahir KC, of Garden Court Chambers and Robert Fitt, of 33 Bedford Row Chambers. Experts who attended the trial gave evidence of the devotion they saw in our client. Most importantly, the prosecution's own experts accepted that our client may never have realised what was going on while he was away from home.

After an emotionally intense three week trial, the jury unanimously acquitted our client of both charges. It was clear from their faces that these 12 strangers took pride in acquitting an innocent man. Finally, our client had the answers he needed and he has since been able to begin recovering from the entire ordeal.