Vanessa Wiggins

Murder

• R v BC – Client was charged with murder and conspiracy to pervert the cause of justice. He was first on the indictment, involving seven defendants. B was acquitted of all charges.
• R v RI – 16 year old client charged with murder and conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. The case included issues of county lines, engaged modern-day slavery and cell site experts – acquitted of the murder charge.
• R v UK – Client accused of a fatal stabbing following a robbery over a watch. The client asserted self-defence, having disarmed the deceased,. Parts of the incident were witnessed and captured on CCTV. After a two-week trial, the jury unanimously acquitted the client of murder and manslaughter.
• R v BD – Client accused of two counts of conspiracy to murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. The client was found in possession of a firearm and the case involved, Encrochat phones which were used for plotting the murders and featured over a year’s worth of police surveillance and covert recordings. The client admitted to the firearm offences but was acquitted of the conspiracy to murder charges.
• R v PT – Client initially charged with murder and involvement in a £676,000 conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine in Hampshire. The Crown chose not to pursue the murder charge.
• R v PC – Represented a defendant charged with murder arising from a  knife group attack. While other co-defendants either pleaded guilty or were convicted following trial, the client was acquitted of all charges.
• R v AR – Defended a 17-year-old at the Old Bailey accused of murdering a rival gang member during a confrontation in West London. The client, armed with a large knife, fatally stabbed the deceased after being approached by a larger group of known gang associates. He was acquitted of murder but convicted of manslaughter.
• R v TM – Acted for a defendant in a seven-handed joint enterprise murder trial involving a fatal shooting outside a music studio. Following a complex and high-profile trial, the client was found not guilty.
• R v BJ – Represented a defendant in a five-handed case involving the fatal robbery of a drug dealer, alleged to have been lured to the scene to be stripped of his drugs. After a five-week trial, the client was acquitted of murder but convicted of manslaughter and robbery.
• R v MR – Represented a 14-year-old defendant charged with murder in a multi-handed joint enterprise case. Despite a significant amount of the deceased’s blood being found on his clothing, the client was acquitted following trial.
• R v MJ – Acted for a defendant accused of murder following a fatal stabbing during a drug-related meeting captured on CCTV and supported by mobile phone evidence. The defendant admitted inflicting the fatal wound but maintained he acted in self-defence. He was acquitted of all charges following trial.
• R v BT – Client charged with murder and s.18 GBH, with the incident recorded on CCTV and various mobile devices. After a thorough trial, the defendant was acquitted of the murder charge but found guilty of manslaughter.
• R v MJ – Client, initially charged with attempted murder. Vanessa’s compelling representations to the Crown resulted in a reduced charge to ABH. The client subsequently pleaded guilty to ABH and was sentenced to 15 months in custody.

Serious Crime

• R v JA – Client accused of class A drug and firearm supply from Amsterdam to the UK. After six months of police surveillance and evidence, including a seized firearm, a detailed analysis of phone records showed the client’s minimal involvement. The jury unanimously acquitted the client.
• R v PR – Client charged with supplying 11 kilos of Class A drugs. The case included extended police surveillance and phone cell site analysis. After a thorough trial, the defendant was acquitted.
• R v PN – Client charged with supplying firearms and Class A drugs. Through meticulous case preparation and a robust defence, Vanessa effectively challenged the Crown’s position. Subsequently, the Crown offered no evidence, leading to the proceedings against the client being discontinued.
• R v DG – Client charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and intent to supply Class A drugs. Following a search at the client’s residence, the police found two revolvers, a shotgun, ammunition, and Class A drugs. After a thorough trial, the client was acquitted of the intent to endanger life charge.
• R v AD – Client remanded on charges of armed robbery. It’s alleged that the client forcefully entered the victim’s home, using threats of violence to seize luxury items and cash. Despite the client’s DNA being located at the scene, Vanessa rigorously challenged the evidence and the defendant’s purported location. Her comprehensive written representations to the Crown resulted in the prosecution offering no evidence, leading to the client’s formal acquittal.
• R v CB – Client accused of being part of a county lines conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. It was alleged that the client, along with others, managed a drug supply line over several months. The defendant denied the allegations, and after a lengthy trial, was unanimously acquitted by the jury.
• R v BJ – Client charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. It is alleged the client was in possession of the loaded firearm in a taxi, as he had planned to harm an opponent. The client denied this specific intent. Following the trial, the client was acquitted of the intent to endanger life and pleaded guilty to a lesser offence of simple possession.
• R v WB – Client charged with s.18 GBH for allegedly stabbing his brother-in-law on Christmas day, leading to a collapsed lung and internal bleeding for the complainant. Even with the client’s in-laws testifying against him in court, the defendant was acquitted after the trial.
• R v CJ – Client, accused of assaulting the Government Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty. Defence instructed experts to review client’s mental health conditions. Consequently, the prosecution accepted a lesser plea to Public Order Act offence.
• R v GC – Client accused of conspiring to rob cash in transit vans alongside three others. Despite two weeks of trial with surveillance, cell site, forensic, and CCTV evidence. The client was the only one acquitted among the four defendants. The client faced two trials: the first had a hung jury, and in the second, the client was cleared.
• R v MK – Client charged with fraud by false representation. Through thorough examination of the Crown’s evidence and challenging the accounts of their witnesses, Vanessa effectively discredited their case. Consequently, the Crown presented no evidence, leading to a formal verdict of not guilty for the defendant.