Toby Manhire, led by Abigail Penny of Mountford Chambers, successfully represented client accused of armed robbery.

Toby Manhire was led by Abigail Penny in the trial of D, charged with two gunpoint robberies and one commercial burglary. It was alleged that D was the gunman and leader of a commercial armed robbery in Worthing – tying up members of staff with cable ties and threatening them with a firearm. It was also alleged that D was the gunman in a daylight cash-in-transit robbery, as well as participating in a commercial burglary in the intervening period.

Lead Counsel, Abigail Penny, had previously represented D alone in his first trial in March 2024. The jury were discharged when evidence of police collusion emerged, and prosecution counsel became a witness to police misconduct.

In D’s retrial, Toby was led by Abigail in a 5-day legal argument. The Defence argued the proceedings offended the Court’s sense of justice and propriety owing to police collusion, and evidence of corruption on the part of senior officers, and that fair trial was rendered impossible. Whilst the argument was underway, the police referred the Detective Chief Inspector involved to the police professional standards department for misconduct. The Crown applied to adjourn proceedings to await the outcome of that investigation.

The application was refused by HHJ Sellers sitting at Guildford Crown Court, and the Crown were obliged to offer no evidence. The jury subsequently acquitted D on all counts, on the direction of the trial judge.

Toby was instructed by James Nicholls of Birds Solicitors

https://www.sussexlive.co.uk/news/sussex-news/police-hunt-after-two-masked-6454049