Farleys’ specialist firearms law department is led by Gareth Hawden, who has over 10 years’ experience in the field. Notable cases of Gareth’s over his career so far include:
Crown Court Advocacy
Guildford Police -v- RC – 2020 – Successful challenge to refusal to grant shotgun certificate.
R -v- HT – 2019 – Client was charged with possession of s5 firearm. The offence carried mandatory minimum 5 years sentence of imprisonment. Successfully negotiated a guilty plea to a different offence and the client did not go to immediate custody.
R-v- NM – 2019 – Client charged with the sale of firearms in the course of trade contrary to s3 Firearms Act 1968. Sentenced to a conditional discharge once mitigation advanced.
Lincolnshire Police -v- AH 2019 – Firearms licencing appeal – successfully argued for the restoration of client’s firearms licence.
Magistrates Court Advocacy
R -v- JB – Three-day trial for a youth client charged with an offence of possession of an imitation firearm with the intention to cause fear of violence. Client found not guilty following trial.
R v JS – Defended a farmer for possession of a firearm left unloaded in his living room. The client received a conditional discharge.
R -v- AK – Successfully argued for an acquittal where the prosecution witness was a retired Metropolitan police officer of over 25 years’ experience.
R -v- SL- Appeared in court and successfully argued that an offence of breaching firearms licensing conditions was laid out of time. The prosecution did not proceed.
Litigation Experience
R -v- LC – instructed Queens Counsel at the Court of Appeal to argue against the imposition of a lengthy sentence for an offence of conspiracy to supply firearms.
R – v- MC – Instructed Counsel at trial for the defendant who was charged with importing a prohibited firearm under the Customs and Excise Management Act. Client was found not guilty following trial.
R -v- O – Instructed Counsel on a successful challenge to the imposition of a mandatory 5-year minimum prison sentence for possession of a taser disguised as a torch. By arguing exceptional circumstances, the client received a suspended sentence.
R -v- MK – Instructed counsel on a successful challenge to the importation of a prohibited firearm disguised as another object. Argued that exceptional circumstances applied and the mandatory minimum period of 5 years imprisonment was substituted for a community sentence.