The Latest Breaking News from Joel Smith KC

Man shot in the head with shotgun outside London silent disco, court told

In the hours before his death, Leroy Mitchell had been at his mother’s house and gone back to the Granaries nightclub before moving on to the silent disco at 4.30am

The Independent UK · Feb 18

Silent disco partygoer shot dead for ‘petty revenge’, court told

Leroy Mitchell was gunned down outside the party in Croydon, south London, in October 2021, the Old Bailey heard.

Evening Standard · Feb 18

British soldier told colleague alleged murder in Kenya was sex gone wrong, court told

A hearing on Friday was told that a colleague of Robert Purkiss saw him crying outside the Lions Court Hotel

The Independent UK · Nov 7, 2025

Baby killer Constance Marten compares prosecutors to Harry Potter Dementors in prison diatribe

Constance Marten has complained about her treatment during her Old Bailey manslaughter trial

Evening Standard · Aug 8, 2025

Revealed: Constance Marten had shattered spleen in ‘domestic abuse incident’

Marten had repeatedly claimed she went on the run with her convicted rapist partner Mark Gordon to ‘protect’ their newborn daughter Victoria.

Evening Standard · Jul 14, 2025

Sleeping in tent with new baby ‘not reasonable parenting decision’, court told

Baby Victoria died from hypothermia or was smothered while co-sleeping in a ‘flimsy’ tent with Constance Marten and Mark Gordon, it is alleged.

Evening Standard · May 14, 2025

Aristocrat Constance Marten refuses to continue cross-examination in trial over baby death

Jurors were told the mother, who is accused of gross negligence manslaughter of her newborn daughter, will not give any more evidence

The Independent UK · May 13, 2025

Constance Marten calls time on cross-examination

The 37-year-old is on trial with Mark Gordon, 50, charged with the manslaughter of their daughter Victoria in early 2023.

Evening Standard · May 13, 2025

Constance Marten trial resumes without defendants as court told of abandoned cat

Marten and Mark Gordon are accused of the manslaughter of a baby who died after they went off grid and slept in a tent in early 2023.

Evening Standard · Mar 13, 2025

Teenage ‘super scooter’ rider guilty of fatal shooting outside south London club

Shaquille Graham was shot dead outside a nightclub in south-east London last March

Evening Standard · Mar 3, 2025