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Our client was being investigated by an elite special operations unit at New Scotland Yard for a gangland style kidnap and near execution. Armed officers carried out dawn raids across the South East which culminated in our client being arrested at his home address in High Wycombe.

MPR specialist criminal defence solicitors were immediately contacted to represent our client and his interests. We were able to handle the whole investigation from beginning to end and made several representations higher up the chain of command at New Scotland Yard about the manner in which the police investigation was being conducted. We were also able to secure the return of our client’s property very swiftly and ensured that all valuables were restored to him.

MPR Solicitors conducted an active defence and raised alibi. We were able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of police that our client was never in the vicinity of the kidnap nor did he have any relevant phone contact with any alleged co-conspirators to have masterminded the kidnap plot. After relentlessly pursuing the police over the investigation and its flaws, we were able to secure no further action against our client and all allegations were dropped against him.

Your defence begins at the police station and you are entitled to the solicitor of your choice. The police cannot force you to have a solicitor of their choosing or to use the services of a duty solicitor. A suspect has the right to choose his/her own solicitor and that representation is free of charge if being given under the provisions of legal aid. Legal Aid at the police station is not means tested which means everyone is eligible for free and independent legal advice from the solicitor of their choice.

At MPR Solicitors, we have established ourselves as being capable of representing our clients’ needs anywhere within England and Wales. We have access to a network of lawyers and specialists and our own solicitors will travel to police stations anywhere across the country to provide legal representation.*

MPR Solicitors LLP offer 24 hour emergency police station representation, so call us today on 020 8607 4660 to see if we can assist you.

*subject to the type of case and funding arrangements in place

July saw another success story for MPR Solicitors when an attempted murder trial collapsed at Isleworth Crown Court last week. Our client was charged with another co-defendant (who was separately represented by another firm of solicitors) with attempted murder on a man in Southall late last year. The trial had started 2 weeks earlier and after the close of the Prosecution case, our advocate took the view that the case had not been proved against our client sufficiently for it to go beyond half time. There were discussions with the Prosecution about this and our advocate was able to persuade the Prosecutor to formally offer no evidence against our client and drop the case against him failing which half-time submissions about no case to answer would be made to the Trial Judge. The Crown promptly offered no evidence against our client. The trial continues against the other co-defendant .

Our client was released from custody a free man.

This case was prepared by the Firm’s Complex Crime Team and the advocacy was conducted by a member of the Firm’s Crown Court Advocacy Team headed by Abdullah Al-Yunusi who is a senior barrister and partner at the Firm.

We can advise and assist you on your case from our Head Office in Hounslow, Hammersmith office or at our base in the City of London. Our London Criminal Solicitors can also visit you at your offices or whererever you are based in the UK.

Contact our Crime Team to see what we can do for you on 020 8607 4660 or send us an email law@mprsolicitors.co.uk

MPR Solicitors officially welcomed the 2012 Olympic Torch relay to Hounslow.

Our Hounslow Solicitors wish Team GB our very best and wish them success at the Olympic Games London 2012 Games of the XXX Olympiad.

Our Solicitors are based in Hounslow, Hammersmith and London and we have a network of Solicitors and Legal Caseworkers througout the UK to service the needs of our clients.

We can advise and assist you on your case from our Head Office in Hounslow, Hammersmith office or at our base in the City of London. Our London Solicitors can also visit you at your offices or whererever you are based.

Another success for MPR Solicitors in July at Aylesbury Crown Court when the prosecution were pushed into a corner by our relentless pursuit of disclosure issues prior to trial in a multi-defendant kidnap and false imprisonment case. We represented 2 defendants in the case charged with false imprisonment and kidnap with firearms. We had taken over representation of 2 of the defendants after they requested a transfer to our firm as they did not feel they were being properly represented by their respective solicitors. Both were in custody when MPR Solicitors took over their cases and the first pressing issue for them was bail having had previous unsuccessful attempts by their previous legal representatives.

We were able to obtain transfers of representation under the Legal Aid scheme very swiftly as it was early on in the proceedings and set about securing their bail which we did after full and proper bail applications were made to the crown court at the right time. Both were released on conditional bail.

The next item on the agenda was to prepare their cases meticulously and not wait for the prosecution to serve their entire case. It was evident that this type of case would require a pro-active defence and we set about locating and securing relevant CCTV which could assist our clients’ defence cases and tracing and interviewing defence witnesses which the police had failed to do despite being notified of the details.

It became evident to us that the police had not properly investigated this case and that there was quite some doubt as to the credibility and veracity of the alleged victim’s account in the ABE interview transcripts and videos. Both our clients denied the allegations strenuously and not guilty pleas were entered right at the outset.

We formed a case strategy closely with our clients making sure from the outset there was no conflict of interests before we took both their cases on.

Then we hit the Prosecution with a list of disclosure requests having served detailed defence case statements for both clients. The secondary disclosure requests proved too embarrassing for the Prosecution and in the end after some lengthy discussions at court, all charges were dropped against our clients.

The defence team was headed by Abdullah Al-Yunusi who is Partner and Barrister at the Firm and assisted by Seema Parikh and Kinneri Patel. All three work within the Complex Crime Team at MPR Solicitors LLP.

We can advise and assist you on your case from our Head Office in Hounslow, Hammersmith office or at our base in the City of London. Our London Serious Crime Solicitors can also visit you at your offices or whererever you are based in the UK.

If you have have been arrested or charged with any criminal charges then contact us to see what we can do. You can email law@mprsolicitors.co.uk or call 020 8607 4660

Sunday 10 June saw the official launch of the Firm’s unified cross-sector Private Client Department. Guests of the Firm were invited to the official launch which saw families attend. “ It was our intention to show that we can act in a multi-disciplinary fashion and that to us all our clients are part of a large family. We have incorporated our existing MPR Family Law and MPR Business teams and we hope to build upon that strength offering our private clients a fully-rounded service” says Senior Partner Abdullah Al-Yunusi. The launch was a success with 120 guests invited with their families to an exclusive luncheon at La Capanna in Cobham, famed for its celebrity diners including Chelsea Footballers whose training ground is up the road from the restaurant. MPR seeks to give small and medium size businesses and High Net Worth Individuals a Partner-led bespoke service to cater for all their needs. The Firm can act as a one-stop-shop and coordinate any range of private client services.

The guest list of attendees included individuals from the fields of accountancy, medicine, merchant banking and hedge fund management, property finders, management consultants, forensic accounting, legal services, tax compliance, private clients and the CEO’s of blue chip companies and self-styled entrepreneurs.

The weather held and adults and children alike were able to take advantage of the entertainment which included a professional singer, bouncy castle and a caricaturist.

We can advise and assist you on your case from our Head Office in Hounslow, Hammersmith office or at our base in the City of London. Our London Solicitors can also visit you at your offices or whererever you are based.

For more information or if you wish to join our mailing list, please contact law@mprsolicitors.co.uk

MPR Solicitors have acquired an original Patrick Caulfield lithograph which will be on display at the firm’s Head Office in Hounslow. The office has recently undergone a complete refurbishment and the original artwork complements the contemporary new look of the office space.

The firm’s clients will be able to view the work entitled “Red and white still life” in the reception area. The piece is a signed offset lithograph from an edition of just 100. The original canvas is on display at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

Patrick Caulfield’s work captures what MPR Solicitors seek to represent in the legal marketplace: a dynamism and challenging modern approach to existing legal principles. These are themes captured by Caulfield’s “Red and white still life” which was painted in 1964. The piece was specially chosen for the Hounslow solicitors office by the Firm’s Managing Partner, Seema Parikh who is herself an art enthusiast.

Patrick Caulfied along with artists such as David Hockney and Peter Blake epitomise British Pop Art. His artwork can be found in private and public collections around the world including The Tate gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum. If you would like to view this artwork, please contact our Hounslow office and we would be happy to arrange a viewing.

ASSET TRACING AND RECOVERY – STOLEN ARTWORK

MPR Solicitors’Seema Parikh has been approached by a Sovereign State to consider the merits of bringing legal action against private galleries in Europe for what are believed to be looted artwork and asset recovery.

The 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property is an umbrella agreement signed by 120 countries. Under its terms, antiquities for sale must have a legal and documented collecting history that dates back to 1970 or earlier. Items found to have been looted can be repatriated to their countries of origin if their illegal recent travel can be proved without doubt. Over the last few years, over 100 works of art have been repatriated from collections worldwide including those from famous museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

MPR Solicitors are able to put together a panel of art experts, historians and archeologists from around the world to challenge ownership and provenance of pieces of art. We also have the expertise to instruct forensic investigators to trace lost/stolen artwork. We are also happy to work alongside client insurance companies, Interpol and the Art and Antiques Squad of New Scotland Yard. We can commence swift legal action in the High Court to protect assets leaving the jurisdiction pending provenance claims.

Depending on the nature of the asset recovery, we can also advise on instructing PR and media Consultants via Seema Parikhwho has relevant contacts having previously worked for LBC Radio and the BBC prior to qualifying as a solicitor.

We can advise and assist you on your case from our Head Office in Hounslow, Hammersmith office or at our base in the City of London. Our London Solicitors can also visit you at your offices or whererever you are based.

If you think MPR Solicitors can assist you, please contact Seema Parikh in the strictest of confidence on 0208 607 4660 or email seema@mprsolicitors.co.uk

The Diamond Jubilee celebrates Her Majesty’s 60 years of service and at MPR Solicitors we are proud to be taking part in this historic event.

To celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, MPR Solicitors have put together some obscure facts about The Queen and her reign, so test your knowledge and take part in the quiz!

1. Since 1952 The Queen has given Royal Assent to more than 3,500 Acts of Parliament: True or False? 
2. Over her reign, how many Prime Ministers has Her Majesty given regular audiences to and the bonus points, name them all.
3. The Queen has attended every opening of Parliament except for two in 1959 and 1963: why?
4. How many items of correspondence has The Queen answered to date?
5. The Queen has sent over 175,000 telegrams to centenarians in the UK and the Commonwealth: True or False?
6. The Queen has given out approximately 50,000 Christmas puddings to staff continuing the custom of King George V and King George VI: True or False
7. What was the first football match The Queen attended?
8. How many ships has The Queen launched during her reign?
9. Where and when was The Queen born?
10. Who designed The Queen’s wedding dress?

ANSWERS:

1. Answer: True
2. Answer: 12 PMs: Winston Churchill, Sir Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, Sir Alec Douglas-Home, Harold Wilson, Edward heath, James Callaghan, Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron
3. Answer: she was expecting Prince Andrew and Prince Edward respectively
4. Answer: 3.5 million!
5. Answer: True
6. Answer: False. She has actually given out approximately 90,000 of them!
7. Answer: FA Cup Final in 1953
8. Answer: 21
9. Answer: 17 Bruton Street, London, W1 on 21 April 1926
10. Answer: Norman Hartnell

How did you score?

Tie-breaker question: What are The Queen’s racing colours?

MPR Solicitors have instructions from 2 new corporate clients including a well-known fast-food chain. MPR Solicitors are specialists in Criminal defence and Business Crime and have established themselves across London and the UK.

MPR Solicitors can offer a bespoke Partner-led solution to businesses in the areas of business crime, financial crime, civil fraud, asset recovery, VAT and Tax investigations, anti-corruption legislation, employment issues, and business law. We can offer bespoke legal advice packages to our corporate clients.

We can advise and assist you on your case from our Head Office in Hounslow, Hammersmith office or at our base in the City of London. Our London  Solicitors can also visit you at your offices or whererever you are based in the UK or internationally.

For more information please email seema@mprsolicitors.co.uk or call us on 020 8607 4660 to see what we can do for you.

MPR solicitors have been instructed to defend a large scale conspiracy to steal case at Aylesbury Crown Court this week. The case will be defended by a specialist criminal lawyer from the MPR complex crime team.

At MPR Solicitors, we specialise in the defence of complex and serious crime. Our solicitors and advocates have many years of experience defending in large-scale conspiracy cases involving SO19, the Serious Crime Directorates, SOCA (Serious and Organised Crime Agency), Operation Trident, Special Projects Units and Flying Squad.

We can advise and assist you on your case from our Head Office in Hounslow, Hammersmith office or at our base in the City of London. Our London Criminal Solicitors can also visit you at your offices or whererever you are based.

Please email our specialist criminal defence solicitors on law@mprsolicitors.co.uk or call us on 020 8607 4660 for free 24 hour police station advice call us on our 24 hour arrest line 020 86074660

We recently secured bail for a defendant charged with supplying class A and B drugs to undercover police officers in a large-scale drugs conspiracy in the Crown Court in the South East of England. Other defendants not represented by MPR Solicitors remain in custody. The trial will take place later in the year.

In another recent case, MPR Solicitors secured bail for a Colombian national charged with possession with intent to supply Class A drugs valued at £100,000. Our client made contact with us whilst in custody on remand as her previous solicitors had done nothing to secure bail advising her that she was unlikely to get bail. She transferred her representation to MPR Solicitors, following which we were able to put a successful bail package together and secured bail within 7 days of being instructed.

The question of bail is always an emotional issue as a person’s liberty is at stake. This is more so in cases where serious charges are alleged and the Prosecution object to the granting of bail. Whilst we cannot guarantee bail in each and every case, we have the expertise and the know-how to effectively put a bail package together and to make one at the right time tactically in the course of court proceedings to have maximum chances of success. There are limited opportunities for making a bail application and for that reason it is not wise to make an unprepared bail application as the chances of success are slim and an opportunity is wasted. We have a proven track record for securing bail in some of the most difficult and serious cases. Our success rate is based on meticulous case preparation, drafting and advocacy skills. We endeavour to make contact with all relevant parties who may be able to assist in the making of a bail application and work against the clock to secure our clients’ liberty.

Simple guide to making a bail application:

• In order to make a bail application, the defence must first give a minimum of 24 hours written notice to both the Court where the application will be made and to the CPS of their intention to make a bail application. The written notice must contain the previously raised objections to bail, the grounds upon which the bail application is made and details of any proposed sureties and securities (Bail bonds). This may sound relatively simple but the art in making a successful bail application does lie in the drafting skills and the analytical skills of the defence lawyer. Decisions by the Court in relation to granting bail in most bail applications are usually made on the papers that are presented to the Court. The advocate is present at court to orally make the application and to counter any arguments or opposition that the CPS may have and to answer any questions the Court may have.
• If a poorly drafted notice of bail is lodged then it will not have the desired effect. The key to maximising success rates of bail is to draft a detailed notice of bail and to call oral evidence at the bail application.
• Defendants in custody are not normally produced at a bail application so they do not get to hear the application made by their defence lawyers. Bail applications are usually made before a Judge in Chambers but can also be made in open court at a directions hearing for example when a client will be present in court.
• At MPR Solicitors, we feel it is important that our clients are fully aware of the detailed bail applications that are lodged on their behalf by our solicitors and to this end copies of the notice relating to bail are made available to our clients.
• We also like to make personal contact with all sureties and family members. We will take the time and make the effort to explain the bail process and what the responsibilities of a surety are.
• We guide our clients and their families through the bail process and like to think we offer an expeditious, caring and effective service to maximise the chances of a successful bail application.

Some of the most common bail conditions that can be offered to the Court are as follows:

• Residence
• Reporting to a local police station
• Not entering a specific geographical area
• Curfew during specific hours (can also be subject to electronic monitoring: an electronic tag)
• Non contact with co-defendants
• Not to contact directly or non-directly the alleged victims in a case
• Paying in a security to the court
• Standing as a surety

We can advise and assist you on your case from our Head Office in Hounslow, Hammersmith office or at our base in the City of London. Our London Criminal Solicitors can also visit you at your offices or whererever you are based.

For further information call our criminal solicitors on 020 8607 4660 or email on law@mprsolicitors.co.uk or for 24 hours police station advice call our 24hr number 020 8607 4660 to speak to a solicitor