Overview
Nathan’s practice focuses exclusively on criminal law. He has experience in a wide range of serious matters involving both youths and adults across the country and is known for his client care, easy-going demeanour, and natural advocacy.
Criminal Defence
Nathan has a busy defence practice and is known for his client care, easy-going demeanour, and natural advocacy. He is counsel for clients facing serious allegations involving kidnapping, blackmail, firearms, serious violence, and sexual offences.
From the outset, Nathan is meticulous in reviewing the evidence and the law, and always responsive to his professional clients. He approaches each hearing strategically, knowing that the trial is the culmination of key proceedings. Nathan tries to secure the best possible outcome before trial at every opportunity.
When it comes to trial, Nathan is a skilled advocate and has secured favourable outcomes in cases that initially appeared almost unwinnable.
Having worked in care, Nathan is compassionately attuned to the needs of vulnerable clients and witnesses alike. This background also enables Nathan to advise professional clients on expert reports for trial, sentence, and fitness proceedings.
Nathan has a significant youth practice encompassing week-long trials involving allegations of gang violence, exploitation, and sexual offences. Nathan quickly builds a rapport with young clients while remaining a fierce professional advocate in court. In this capacity, Nathan is also able to advise and assist with applications involving judicial review. His views and insight are respected amongst specialist youth solicitors across London.
Nathan can advise and represent respondent defendants in relation to quasi-criminal orders such as Sexual Harm Prevention Orders, Criminal Behaviour Orders, and Football Banning Orders commenced either before or after proceedings. Nathan has successfully argued for such orders to be removed and amended.
Nathan accepts instructions on a private basis and has secured good outcomes for clients who appreciate his calmness and familiarity with the criminal courts.
Additional Information
Education
- Philosophy, BA, Lancaster University.
- Graduate Diploma in Law, The University of Law.
- Bar Practitioners Training Couse/ LLM, BPP University.
Awards and Scholarships
- Advocacy Scholarship: BPP.
- J. B. Montagu Scholarship: Middle Temple.
Nathan’s previous career was in psychiatric care, working in front-facing and managerial roles in secure hospitals.
Before pupillage, Nathan was a legal officer at the Free Representation Unit (FRU), specialising in social security law, where he oversaw a team of volunteer lawyers and students whilst balancing his own cases in the First-tier and Upper Tribunal.
Cases of Note
KS
Led junior for D1 in a multi-handed two-month conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life. The defendant was alleged to have been an instigator of two shootings and a gunpoint robbery.
ZS
Unanimous acquittal of client accused of burglary and assault during a trial in absence. DNA evidence linked the accused to a pool of blood found at the suspected point of entry. The accused was a ‘1 in a 1billion match’ and was also identified by the Complainant, who was his former partner, as the burglar who had assaulted him. Presence and participation were denied.
AB
Successful acquittal of a youth client charged with possession of a bladed article. The young person had learning difficulties and had ‘confessed’ at the scene.
MT
Breach proceedings discontinued against a client subject to a suspended sentence following service of an abuse of process skeleton argument.
OO
Unanimous acquittal of affray, malicious wounding, and possession of an offensive weapon. The accused was a family man of good character. It was accepted that he had produced a screwdriver during a fight at Bank Station during rush hour, and the co-defendant, charged solely with affray, had sustained a wound. Both accused asserted they were acting in self-defence.
KC
Unanimous acquittal for severely autistic client who was alleged to have brandished a replica firearm in the face of a fellow road user in broad daylight following a road traffic dispute.
PW
Unanimous acquittal for a mentally ill client alleged to have assaulted a police officer during an arrest at the accused’s home address. The accused accepted the act moments after the incident and again during the interview under caution.
OS
The case against the Defendant was discontinued following a hung jury. The Defendant was alleged to have committed an armed robbery on a London bus. Six similar offences, to which the Defendant had already pleaded, were admitted into evidence. The Defendant also ceased giving evidence following examination in chief, drawing adverse inferences. Despite the significant difficulties, a number of the jury was persuaded that they could not be sure of the Defendant’s guilt.
XY
Successful acquittal of vulnerable adult client accused of theft following a defence under section 45 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
JF
Successful application to dismiss in case of organised armed street robbery of a high-value watches. A unique bicycle linked the accused to the crime, but the court was persuaded that there was insufficient evidence to safely identify the client.
SA
Successful acquittal of a client accused of obstructing a drug search and assault on an emergency worker via choking following an application of no case to answer.
PP
Successful submission of abuse of process in allegation of domestic violence.
DM
Successful defence of a two-day stalking trial for a very vulnerable client.
SH
Successful defence of client accused of ABH in which CCTV showed the alleged attack from meters away.
XX
Successful defence of possession of a bladed article for youth client under section 45 Modern Slavery Act 2015.
