Notable Cases
HOMICIDE
R v Scott & Ors
Multi handed gang related murder – Operation Trident.
The victim was slashed with a sword then shot dead because he refused to buy a local gang leader a drink.
R v Davies
The stabbing to death of a young man in the street after an argument with a friend.
R v Packham
Murder of an elderly couple in their home as part of a drugs turf war.
R v Antonelli & Melnikov
Gangland murder in a top London hotel following a drug feud.
R v March
Mercy killing/assisted suicide of a wife suffering from multiple sclerosis by a devoted husband.
R v Nowakowska
A shaken baby syndrome case involving the death of a 1 year old child whilst child was in the care of his nanny.
R v Archer
The murder of a young prostitute in Kings Cross. The defendant had a history of violence towards women. This was one of the first cases involving an application made by the prosecution to introduce into evidence the defendant’s bad character.
R v Harrison & Others
Multi handed gang related murder of a 17 year old boy.
R v Pinnock & Anr
Murder in the street of the ex partner of a young woman by her new boyfriend.
R v Thompson – Operation Trident
Murder and mutilation of a drugs courier by his superiors.
R v Harding & Phipps
Attempted murder of the defendant’s estranged wife and her new boyfriend.
R v Huntroyd
The defendant drove at a police officer throwing him onto the roof of the vehicle. The officer was carried on the roof of the car for over a mile before falling off sustaining serious injury.
SERIOUS SEXUAL OFFENCES
Operation Tradescant.
Gang rape of a 14 year old girl in Hackney.
R v Denton & Others (2008) (Leading junior)
A multi defendant gang rape of a 14 year old girl in Hackney. This case attracted considerable publicity.
R v (Case name not disclosed) (2008) (Leading junior)
A multi defendant gang attack and sexual assault upon a15 year old girl in school.
R v Cockayne (2008)
The Indictment contained twenty counts of rape and serious sexual assaults made by six girls aged between 11 and 17.
R v Farnfield (2009)
Rape of a deaf complainant who suffered from a serious personality disorder. She gave evidence via a sign language interpreter as did a witness who was deaf and mute. The defendant was mentally vulnerable.
R v Idris (2008)
Rape and grievous bodily harm allegations made by a prostitute against her punter.
R v (Case name not disclosed) (2008)
Allegations of cruelty and serious sexual assaults upon 8 year old twin boys by their parents. The allegations involved systematic sexual and physical abuse of the boys from the age of two years.
R v Attwood (2008)
Serious sexual assault of a 14 year old schoolboy by his friends’ mother.
R v (Case name not disclosed) (2007)
A case involving allegations of historical sexual abuse made by a daughter against her father who was a serving police officer. The complainant suffered from very serious mental health problems and had been a long term psychiatric in patient.
R v (Case name not disclosed) (2006)
A case involving allegations made by several children against their father. One of the complainants, a 19 year old girl who was studying medicine at Oxford, died prior to trial. Her evidence was admitted pursuant to the (then) novel provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 2003.
R v Laverty (2006)
This case involved multiple allegations of rape and abuse made by a young complainant against her parents and brothers. The allegations ranged over a 10 year period and involved the alleged sexual abuse of her and two other female siblings. The complainant suffered from long term psychiatric problems.
R v Ewin
A father wrongly accused of sexually assaulting his son. He was a member of Families Need Fathers. The child was believed to be suffering from a syndrome known as “Parental Alienation Syndrome”.
R v Kabia & Others
Rape and sexual assault of two females kidnapped by a gang of youths from a shopping centre in central London
DRUGS, FIREARMS AND OFFENCES AGAINST CHILDREN
R v Duong & Anr (2008/9) (Leading junior)
Drugs conspiracy involving the production of “skunk” cannabis on a massive scale.
R v Hosein Whelan (2008)
Firearms case involving a 17 year old female defendant.
R v Sharif & Omar (2007) (Leading Junior)
Shaken baby syndrome. Both parents implicated in assaulting their 6 month old child.
R v Dimmock and Featherstone
Both parents implicated in assaulting their premature baby.
Nicola Merrick
Year of Call: 1983
Specialist practice areas: Serious Crime, Criminal/Civil Fraud, Serious Sexual Offences, Health & Safety, Police Disciplinary, Courts Martial, Immigration, Inquests & Public Inquiries
Email: nmerrick@furnivallaw.co.uk
Nicola Merrick is a criminal law specialist with extensive experience as leading counsel both defending and prosecuting in serious and high profile cases.
Her experience in violent crime cases includes over 20 major murder trials, from gang related executions to single blow deaths and mercy killings.
Nicola has developed a leading junior practice in very serious sexual offences. She is skilled in sensitive handling of vulnerable witnesses and defendants, including juveniles and cases where there is a highly emotional and sensitive background to the facts. She has defended autistic and mentally impaired children and has conducted trials involving witnesses suffering from a range of serious mental and physical disabilities, most recently including a deaf complainant and deaf and mute witnesses.
She has experience in serious fraud (front end fee, VAT, mortgage, and MTIC) and money laundering cases, and also deals with cases involving Shaken Baby Syndrome, drugs conspiracies, armed robbery and firearms.
Current Instruction
Nicola is currently preparing to represent a defendant in a multi-handed rape and sexual and physical abuse trial. The case is based upon allegations made by a young Asian woman against her husband and members of his family.
She is also instructed in a multi-handed serious fraud case involving allegations of theft of £3m by solicitors and clients.
Professional Memberships
Nicola is a member of the South Eastern Circuit and the Criminal Bar Association.