Rabah Kherbane’s client found Not Guilty of murder at the Old Bailey

Rabah Kherbane and Melanie Simpson KC represented MT, 20-years-old at the time of a shooting in North London, who was acquitted of murder. A jury at the Old Bailey returned unanimous verdicts of Not Guilty in two hours.

MT is a young man of positive good character. He completed his GCSEs and went to College. He played football at academy level. In April 2023, he attended a party. A friend of a friend, BT, with whom he did not have a relationship, carried and concealed a firearm at that party. As the party concluded, BT spontaneously shot and killed the victim.

The prosecution arrested and charged eight young people in connection with this murder, one of whom was MT. MT has maintained his innocence for the past two years. A previous trial in 2024 lasted three months.

The case involved significant presentation of an alternative Defence case; detailed analysis of unused material; a considered approach to disclosure issues; and complex legal argument, including to introduce school records related to the gunman to establish he had a history of spontaneous rather than planned or group violence.

Rabah was instructed by Vanessa Wiggins of Bark & Co. Solicitors.