Nicholas Doherty

Nicholas Doherty

Specialist in full range of Criminal work

Nicholas’ current practice includes the entire range of Criminal work. He defends at all the Crown Courts in the South East and most of the country, and has appeared in several murders as a junior, including ‘gangland’ shootings, and a case of murder and attempted murder which attracted widespread publicity in which two students were thrown off Hungerford Bridge, all at the Old Bailey.

Nicholas has also appeared in many rape cases both alone and being led, and also defended in every type of fraud case, including complex matters lasting up to four months, both as junior counsel alone and being led by silks and leading juniors.

As a leading junior, he has been instructed in a number of high-profile cases for the defence, including, a man said to be the most successful counterfeiter of Bank of England bank notes, large drugs importations and so on.

He also prosecutes for the CPS in London and the Thames Valley (Grade 3) and was on the Attorney General’s list to prosecute for the Department of Social Security and the Revenue. He has conducted many multiple defendant organised fraud cases and was once selected to prosecute a member of the Bar for such an offence.

Like his defence practice, his prosecution work has included frequent appearances in the Court of Appeal. He has also been involved as counsel in several appeals to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council on behalf of prisoners sentenced to death in the Commonwealth; two of those appeals have been successful.

In addition to his criminal work, he has a specialised knowledge of the law relating to firearms, and frequently appears in firearms licensing appeals in all parts of England and Wales. He is recommended by most of the major shooting organisations for this type of work. This includes appeals against the refusal to grant or renew firearms & shotgun certificates, registered firearms dealerships and judicial review of police decisions where necessary. In addition, he advises and appears in cases where those previously convicted of serious offences wish to have their prohibition from possessing firearms (by virtue of Section 21 of the Firearms Act) removed.

Because of his extensive practical knowledge of firearms, he is also often instructed in criminal prosecutions which involve the use of guns. Since the introduction of ‘Marine Marshalls’ on British flagged vessels, he has advised organisations seeking such work on a number of occasions.

30 years of involvement in Firearms Licensing has led Nicholas into other areas of Regulatory Work. This has included advising on noise nuisance, particularly in relation to shooting grounds and the like. He has also advised in relation to fatal shootings and accidents at ranges and game shoots and consequent prosecutions under the Health and safety at Work Act, and has recently acted for the defence in a high profile prosecution under the Act relating to the storage and sale of explosives, and the attendant risk to the public, at one of the largest militaria events in Europe.

Nicholas accepts instructions direct from the public in criminal, firearms licensing and other types of regulatory cases such as Health and Safety, explosives licensing and similar areas. He also undertakes work at professional disciplinary tribunals.

Instructing on a direct access basis can often be at considerably lower cost than where you also engage a solicitor. A significant proportion of his work is now conducted on this basis, and he has become adept at assisting the litigant to prepare their own case. He is always happy to discuss a case on an informal basis to decide whether it is suitable for public access.

Accreditations

In 2011, Nicholas co‐authored 'The British Firearms Law' Handbook, published by Sweet & Maxwell. It's recognised as the leading work both for lawyers & the public regarding firearms law and licensing in this country.