There is limited recourse for you if you are falsely accused. Click a selection of the cases we have covered. The best thing you can do is to instruct an excellent solicitor from the outset.
James O’Donnell joined JD Spicer Zeb Solicitors in 2010. He is a specialist crime lawyer.
He has extensive experience in representing clients at the police station and in the Magistrates’ Court. James defends clients facing a broad spectrum of criminal charges brought before the Court by various enforcement agencies.
James has extensive experience in dealing in complex and serious cases concerning violence, including murder, kidnapping and firearm offences, fraud, large scale drug supply as well as sexual offences. James regularly defends clients involved in organised crime or who face prosecutions by way of joint enterprise or as part of a conspiracy. With such serious cases in his remit, James consistently remains in control and calm at all times when interacting with clients and third parties including counsel and investigative and enforcement authorities.
James is appreciated by clients for his prompt and clear style in communication whilst always managing expectations. He ensures that all aspects of his client’s defence are fully advanced and regularly instructs leading experts to contest disputed and complex evidence in order to advance his client’s defence and to maximise their chances of success.
James is a highly regarded lawyer and due to his attention to detail and commitment to his clients has built a large client following that regularly instruct him on a wide range of matters on either a private or publicly funded basis.
Notable cases:
- R v D & others (2017) – Conspiracy to murder: Defendant was said to have planned and organised the shooting of another as part of a revenge attack that stemmed from a long standing family feud.
- R v B (2014) – Attempted Murder where a mans throat was slit in a planned execution. Defendant was said to be one of the males involved in the attack. Charge successfully dismissed.
- R v M (2017) – Wounding with intent. Defendant charged with an attack where he allegedly drove his vehicle into another during a large scale fight, resulting in numerous broken bones. Not guilty verdicts.
- R v AM (2015) – Attempted Murder where defendant was accused of carrying out a near fatal stabbing on another gang member in broad daylight on a busy NW London high street.
- R v MK (2014) – Conspiracy to kidnap and commit false imprisonment. Defendant was jointly charged with 2 others who were said to have kidnapped another over a 5 day period due to an unpaid drug debt. Defendant was found not guilty of all charges.
- R v MH (2014) – Rape. Successfully defended a man charged with multiple counts of rape. Defence instructed Pathologist played a predominant role in challenging the injuries allegedly caused. The defendant was found not guilty on all charges.
- R v AD & others (2017) – Conspiracy to defraud. Defendant and others were said to be involved in carrying out fraudulent building work in excess of £500,000.
- R v DW (2019) - Possession with intent to supply class A & B drugs Aquittal. Our client was acquitted whilst the co-defendant was found guilty and received 5 years imprisonment. The case against our client rested on forensics, phone and ID evidence linking him to the house where the co-defendant had been selling and producing class A and cannabis.
- R V EW & SC (2019) – Possession with intent to supply class A dismissal. James represented two defendants charged with possession with intent to supply 9 Kilos of MDMA with an estimated street value of £500,000. Both instructed counsel, Malik Aldeiri and Mimma Sabato successfully dismissed the case.
- R v TM (2020) - section 18 GBH - Dropped to section 20 GBH and Suspended Sentence imposed. During the altercation the Defendant was said to have taken a bottle, smashed it off the victim’s head and stabbed him several times to the face causing several lacerations. The offence was captured on CCTV. Although the evidence was overwhelming, after months of negotiations we were able to secure a to a lesser charge of s.20 GBH. Despite the Defendant had a long list of previous convictions for violence including two for s.18 GBH, our Counsel Mimma Sabato mitigated successfully for a Suspended Sentence Order. If convicted of the s.18 GBH the starting point would have been 12 years.
- R v RMM (2020) - Attempted Murder Aquittal - On the face of the prosecutions case it appeared overwhelming but with a first class legal team we were able to demonstrate that the defendant was an innocent bystander. Extensive preparation by our experienced first-class legal team and barrister ensured the jury saw the true picture.Our highly experienced trial counsel was able to exclude all reference as material to “gang evidence / drill music” relied upon by the crown. Careful scrutiny of all the CCTV footage meant that we were able to completely undermine the crowns case that our client had “summons others” to commit the offence.
- R v EM (2021) - Aquittal of a man charged with four counts of Attempted Murder and Grievous Bodily Harm. The cases involved members of the Irish travelling community travelling from Leicester to a traveller’s site in Irchester. Armed with machetes and other lethal weapons an attack took place which resulted in several people being seriously injured. A man's neck was slashed who was fortunate to survive.