Darron Whitehead

General Crime

Darron has an established busy criminal practice appearing regularly in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Stafford and Derby. His repeated success in trial, whether defending or prosecuting, has resulted in a full diary throughout the year and beyond. Amongst his regular instructing solicitors, Darron has a reputation for thorough preparation of case papers as soon as they are delivered, providing concise advice and guidance as to the progression of the case in hand. He strives to maintain continuity throughout the court process, creating confidence with each client and reassurance that each case is being prepared and presented to a high standard of professionalism.

His popularity and experience are reflected by his current caseload reflecting multiple cases of murder, including juveniles bricking a man to death; fatal stabbings; poisoning; revenge killing; and the murder of a new born baby.

Darron has also defended and prosecuted offences of attempted murder; manslaughter (voluntary & involuntary act offences); infanticide; causing or allowing the death of a child; section 18; kidnap & torture.

He has recently appeared on behalf of defendants at the Old Bailey for offences of terrorism and also computer hacking of personal and financial data.

Other cases reflect serious sexual allegations, including adult stranger rape, including a case of rape at gunpoint; rape within the matrimonial home; rape of children; sexual abuse by teachers and individuals in authoritative positions; other serious sexual offences against children, including online grooming and voyeurism.

The balance of Darron’s work represents Encrochat cases; the importation or sale of firearms; armed robbery; undercover police operations infiltrating the importation and supply of drugs, death by dangerous driving and allegations of misconduct in public office.

Homicide (Murder and Manslaughter & Infanticide)

Darron has been involved in several high profile and emotive homicide cases where he has either been led by very experienced Kings Counsel or has conducted the case himself as Leading Junior. Recent cases of note include:

• R .v. JXT (2024) [Warwick] – murder / infanticide by an overseas student who concealed her pregnancy and birth. The baby was immediately asphyxiated and hidden in a suitcase until eventual discovery.
• R .v. UM (2024) [Birmingham] – attempted murder of a family friend following the revelation of sexual abuse against their sister.
• R .v. KH & DP (2024) [Nottingham] – convicted two juveniles of murder after they threw bricks at an adult male following an altercation at the city centre skate park.
• R .v. RK (2024) [Birmingham] – 15 year schoolboy acquitted of murder following broad daylight stabbing in Victoria Square in Birmingham on a Saturday afternoon.
• R .v. BB (2024) [Derby] – the prosecution forced to withdraw charge of murder and accepting manslaughter where it was established the evidence reflected a single blow without a weapon.
• R .v. VP (2024) [Stoke] – successful prosecution for attempted murder by the victims girlfriend where the victim withdrew his support for the case.
• R .v. RA (2023) [Nottingham] – gang of 5 carried out surveillance and then ambushed a rival gang member before stabbing him to death outside a City Centre nightclub.
• R .v. KH (2023) [Stafford] – successfully defended a 16 year old girl for murder who had brought a gang of older men to a party to exact revenge upon a teenager who had inappropriately touched her.
• R .v. AH (2023) [Stafford] – the punishment killing of a neighbour who was heard and seen to repeatedly beat his partner at their home address.
• R .v. RP (2023) [Derby] – the prosecution of a lodger who killed and then concealed the body of the tennat in a fridge freezer which was undetected for over 18 months. This case featured in the Real CSI Channel 4 documentary entitled Body in the Freezer.
• R .v. JT (2023) [Wolverhampton] – prosecution for murder after the defendant killed his father and then sold his father’s personal possessions.
• R .v. LJ (2023) [Stafford] – s18 committed on on two separate occasions upon his 5 month old baby causing life changing injuries.
• R .v. AS-J (2023) [Nottingham] – attempted murder & aggravated burglary when the theft of cannabis from a dwelling house was disturbed by the dealer.
• R .v. JC (2022) [Stafford] – causing the death of a child where multiple bruises & fractures had been inflicted and the child had ingested cocaine.
• R .v. JM (2021) [Stafford] – having pleaded to violent disorder in 2006, the victim died 15 years later from his injuries, leading to a prosecution for murder / manslaughter.
• R .v. WN (2021) [Stafford] – successfully defended a retired doctor for gross negligence manslaughter following the death of his wife by malnutrition and dehydration.
• R .v. OL-H (2021) [Birmingham] – represented the mother of baby Arthur for manslaughter against her abusive partner, but which was the trigger for her son’s death whilst in the care of others.

Other Notable cases:

• R .v. EC [Stafford] – defending the mother of a 5-week baby accused of murder, where the cause of death remains unknown.
• Operation Epsilon [Birmingham] – prosecuting a house owner for the manslaughter of his roommate as the pair had been preparing drugs and blew up the block of flats.
• R .v. Gz [Stafford] – prosecuting a lorry driver who ploughed into a car on the M6 killing 5 members of the same family.
• R .v. F [Stafford] – prosecuted the estranged partner who concealed a knife in a car and then stabbed the victim multiple times whilst she was driving with their 10 yr old son in the back.
• R .v. V [Stafford] – defended a 20 yr old Romanian National who cut the throat of his 16 yr old girlfriend.
• R .v. IL [Birmingham] – successfully defended the alleged driver of a car involved in a drive-by shooting in the city centre.
• R .v. J [Birmingham] – successfully prosecuted an execution style shooting having fired a gun at point blank at a rival’s head whilst sitting in a car.
• R .v. PM [Stafford] – successfully defended one of five men who followed, ambushed and allegedly murdered a rival gang member, all being captured on CCTV.
• R .v. C & C [Birmingham] – successfully prosecuted the manager & his brother of entrapping, poisoning and then burying the body of his mistress, before they  attempted to cover their tracks by sending false text messages and disposing of evidence. Each defendant received minimum 30-year sentences of imprisonment.
• R .v. H [Worcester] – defended a man who had consumed heroin during the course of the night, triggering delusional beliefs that others were trying to get him. Having locked down the house, he stabbed his pregnant fiancé 65 times using different weapons in front of their 2-year-old daughter.

Organised Crime

Darron has prosecuted and defended a number of large scale cases concerning organised crime groups (OCG’s), often involving ten or more defendants. His instructions invariably follow months of investigation by the prosecuting authorities, which have focused upon the activities of key individuals, their interaction with others in the planning, commission and concealment of serious criminal enterprises. Recent notable cases include:

• R .v. AM (2024) [Old Bailey] – represented an autistic man who collected terrorist reading literature and exchanged racist and radical views online.
• R .v. CJ (2024) [Stoke] – prosecution forced to withdraw case when we established the accused was a victim of modern day slavery and forced to sell drugs on a large scale.
• Op Lamborghini (2024) [Wolverhampton] – the prosecution of an OCG selling fake medicinal products on the internet to unsuspecting customers.
• R .v. GE (2024) [Leeds] – a retired schoolteacher recruited by overseas fraudsters scamming people by sending false computer virus messages and receiving significant payments for carrying out bogus work.
• Op Gallium (2024) [Warwick] – the infiltration of an OCG selling class A drugs by undercover officers.
• R .v. MA and others (2024) [Stafford] – over £1m of thefts by a team of employees working at an Amazon Distribution Warehouse.
• R .v. MZ (2024) [Birmingham] – in excess of £1m of items sent to Vieola for destruction by the police and companies being stolen by staff members and sold on the black market.
• Op Hornett (2020-2024) [Birmingham & Wolverhampton] – the successful conviction of all 27 defendants (via multiple trials) who were operating four different drug lines (called Talisman, Razor, Reece & Monty) and exposed by the use of undercover police officers.
• Op Bullfighter (2023) [Stafford] – the successful prosecution of all members of a gang importing and distributing class A drugs worth millions using Encrochat devices.
• Op Timberlee (2022) [Birmingham] – the successful prosecution of family members selling vast quantities of Class A drugs caught by telephone infiltration.
• R .v. MH (2022) [Derby] – a member of a gang who had infiltrated confidential emails and changed bank account details leading to millions of pounds being paid to criminal accounts and not the intended recipients.

Other notable cases:

• R .v. HH [Leicester] – defended a member of a team pulling ATM cash machines from 8 convenience stores during the night using explosives, stolen diggers and lorries.
• R .v. SE [Birmingham] – represented the middleman fencing converted firearms brought into the UK from Ireland.
• R .v. B [Birmingham] – able to persuade the Court not to impose the mandatory immediate period of imprisonment for a vulnerable lady who had stored firearms and ammunition at her home address having been ‘cuckooed’ by an organised crime group.
• R .v. N [Birmingham] – defended the owner of a professionally run brothel operating 24/7 turning over millions of pounds per year.
• R .v. P [Stafford] – successfully prosecuted an OCG from Birmingham that travelled to Stafford to execute the leader of a rival drug gang.
• R .v. G [Birmingham] – defended a member of The Outlaw biker gang for murder who was part of a bikers Chapter that identified & targeted the leader of the local Hells Angel biker gang. The deceased was tracked and shot in the head whilst riding along the M40 motorway.
• R .v. McG [Stafford] – prosecuted a professional team of burglars who executed a ram raid at a cash sorting depot in Tamworth. They reversed a lorry through a structural wall and stole £1.85m in 90 seconds.
• R .v. C and others [Stafford] – an OCG established a network of staged road traffic accidents across the country, triggering false insurance claims in excess of £1m for vehicle damage and personal injury.

Serious Sexual Offences

Darron has developed a formidable reputation for both defending and prosecuting serious sexual offences. Such cases are particularly sensitive, often involving multiple complainants and interested parties. They invariably require a high degree of objectivity and detailed preparation, combined with patience and empathy. Recent cases include:

• R .v. IA (2024) [Birmingham] – successfully prosecuted a 21 year old man for attempting to rape his 9 year old cousin whilst family members were in an adjacent room.
• R .v. GF (2024) [Shrewsbury] – defending a retired man accused of raping his elderly partner who complained he never put her sexual needs first.
• R .v. XX (2024) [Stafford] – successfully exposed the lies of a teenage girl who accused her brother of raping her whilst their parents were away celebrating an anniversary meal.
• R .v. AP (2024) [Stafford] – defending the father of 3 girls who each accused him of a campaign of rape.
• R .v. LW (2024) [Stafford] – defending a primary school teacher who invited a 5 year female pupil to perform sexual acts upon him. The police discovered her semen stained school jumper in his bedside draw.
• R .v. POS (2024) [Stafford] – defending a British Fighting Champion accused of rape.
• R .v. ALZ (2023) [Derby] – defended a man for the rape of his friend’s girlfriend whereby the act was recorded.
• R .v. OM-H (2023) [Derby] – defended a young man with learning difficulties who engaged in threesome sex with his girlfriend and cousin whilst they were asleep.
• R .v. RC (2022) [Stoke] – defended a man accused of raping multiple women whom he had talked to on the social media platform Plenty of Fish before meeting each for sex.
• R .v. ME (2022) [Stafford] – successfully defended a man for rape having established pathological lies made by the alleged victim.
• R .v. RN (2022) [Stafford] – represented a 14 year old Hungarian boy accused of raping and passing around his 14 year old English girlfriend.
• R .v. MS (2022) [Stoke] – defended 25 counts of matrimonial rape which was covered up by the Jehovah Witness Church.
• R .v. NN (2021) [Stafford] – successfully defended a Hospital Doctor accused of touching a colleagues breast during a medical procedure.

Other notable cases:

• R .v. AP [Worcester] – successfully defended a man accused of rape by his ex-wife where her motive was exposed to be financial greed.
• R .v. H [Stafford] – defended a 17 yr old sixth form student accused of grooming and engaging in sexual activity with 14 yr old girls attending his same school.
• R .v. R [Birmingham] – Nationally and Internationally reported case of a young girl being raped at a train station before being raped again by a taxi driver on the way home later. Successfully defended the first accused.
• R .v. Od [Birmingham] – successfully prosecuted a man who had sexual activity with a child, without relying on any evidence from the alleged victim during trial.
• R .v. A and others [Stafford] – 3 brothers were accused of raping 3 sisters over 25 yrs ago.
• R .v. RC [Birmingham] – defended the oldest man (aged 101 yrs) ever to be charged with historic sexual offences against his daughters and granddaughters.  The case led to new guidelines being issued by the Court of Appeal as to the approach the sentencing courts should take with the elderly.
• R .v. L [Stafford] – successfully defended a student accused of rape where the complainant had visited his address with a friend.
• R .v. J [Birmingham] – successfully prosecuted an extradited man involved in the gang rape of a lady trapped inside a flat for 10 hours. Case involved complex DNA recovery from at least 10 suspects.
• R .v. P [Birmingham] – successfully defended a man falsely accused of rape by his ex-wife who was driven to prevent him having access to their child.
• R .v. W [Birmingham] – successfully prosecuted a man who waited for hours by a train station late at night in order to choose his victim. He then followed his target and at gunpoint, led her into a church yard where he repeatedly raped her.
• R .v. GP [Worcester] – prosecuting the owner of a large farming estate who had raped and sexually abused three generations, including, wives, daughters, granddaughters and family pets.
• R .v. H [Manchester] – successfully defended a student accused of rape after a one-night stand, having met a young lady at a nightclub and then returning to his apartment together.
• R .v. P [Stafford] – successfully defended a man accused of 28 counts of rape against three different girlfriends dating back to the 1980’s.
• R .v. S [Stafford] – successfully defended a scout leader accused of abusing troop members over the last two decades.
• R .v. R & R [Wolverhampton] – defended a foster carer, who together with his wife, they would photograph their very young female residents in all sexual poses, for their own sexual pleasure & profit.
• R .v. D [Wolverhampton] – successfully prosecuted a serial rapist who targeted dozens of local prostitutes, holding them hostage with knives before raping them. He  was driven by revenge and hatred of their occupation.
• R .v. S [Stafford] – defended the head of an elite paedophile network who was pursued and traced by the FBI in the UK. His portfolio of indecent images and videos of children being sexually abused amounted to in excess of one million items. Most of these had been specially commissioned and order by members of the group across the world.

Fraud & Financial Offences

Darron has been instructed on several complex cases requiring the preparation, understanding and analysis of evidence in excess of 50,000 pages. His patience and ability to simplify complicated financial affairs in order to best assist clients has resulted in repeated instructions. Examples of such cases include:

• R .v. LG (2024( [Derby] – an investment fraud of well over £1m perpetrated by a gang during lockdown purporting to be a well-known London financial institution using false letter heads, authentic telephone handlers and false email addresses.
• R .v. GE (2024) [Leeds] – a retired schoolteacher recruited by overseas fraudsters scamming people by sending false computer virus messages and receiving significant payments for carrying out bogus work.
• R .v. MH (2022) [Derby] – a member of a gang who had infiltrated confidential business emails and managed to changed bank account details undetected leading to millions of pounds being paid to criminal accounts and not the intended recipients.
• R .v. CH (2022) [Stafford] – defended a young women who blackmailed a school friend demanding money by pretending to be a Solicitor.
• R .v. ZD (2020) [Stafford] – successfully acquitted the Manager of a Care Home accused of committing fraud against the Local Authority and stealing cash from residents.
• R .v. H [Stafford] – successfully defended a Vietnamese National accused of child trafficking and offences under the Modern Slavery Act. This was the first prosecution under the new Act and received national media attention as well as being featured in a BBC documentary.
• R .v. H [The Old Bailey] – defended an Autistic youth with advanced computer skills who hacked into Talk Talk stealing personal data at the cost of £77m to the company.
• R .v. G and others [Coventry] – defended a manager working for British Gas accused of selling stock and assets belonging to his employer to scrap metal dealers.
• R .v. R and others [Birmingham] – ghost companies were set up purportedly supplying agency workers for Government contracts to relay motorways and gantries. False invoices and timesheets were supplied over a period of 2 years resulting in fraud in excess of £7m.
• R .v. A and others [Birmingham] – an entire family embarked on a £1/2m online fraud whereby they would repeatedly advertise high value goods on Gumtree but failed to deliver items. Their financial gains were concealed by an intricate web of sub accounts.

Drugs & Money Laundering

Darron has both prosecuted and defended cases involving large scale importation, preparation and distribution of class A and B drugs. Such cases invariably involve the understanding of covert observations and recording by undercover officers. His quick understanding of roles played, and chronology of events have allowed him to secure best results for those he represents. He has been involved in the following Operations of late:

• R .v. CJ (2024) [Stoke] – prosecution forced to withdraw case when we established the accused was a victim of modern day slavery and acted under duress to sell drugs on a large scale.
• Op Lamborghini (2024) [Wolverhampton] – the prosecution of an OCG selling fake medicinal products on the internet to unsuspecting customers.
• Op Gallium (2024) [Warwick] – the infiltration of an OCG selling class A drugs by undercover officers.
• Op Hornett (2020-2024) [Birmingham & Wolverhampton] – the successful conviction of all 27 defendants (via multiple trials) who were operating four different drug lines (called Talisman, Razor, Reece & Monty) and exposed by the use of undercover police officers.
• R .v. WS (2023) [Derby] – successfully avoided an immediate prison sentence for a gym owner caught for the second time selling wholesale amounts of steroids to members and online subscribers to the value of over £1m.
• Op Bullfighter (2023) [Stafford] – the successful prosecution of all members of a gang importing and distributing class A drugs worth millions using Encrochat devices.
• Op Timberlee (2022) [Birmingham] – the successful prosecution of family members selling vast quantities of Class A drugs caught by telephone infiltration.
• R .v. Z [Birmingham] – successfully defended fraud & money laundering allegations after a 10-week trial which received National media coverage as the case involved the police crushing a seized Ferrari.
• Operation Olly [Birmingham] – Complex Case Unit prosecution of a man dealing in stolen and cloned cars, counterfeit cash and fake jewellery together with the cleaning of money through bank accounts and property portfolios.
• R .v. K [Mold] – defended the mastermind behind multiple cannabis growing factories hidden in the Welsh Hills under the business front of furniture manufacturing. This enterprise produced tons of product over a 4-year operation.
• R .v. W [Stafford] – defended a member of an organised crime group storing and supplying class A and B drugs across 4 counties.
• Operation Piaffe [Birmingham] – successfully prosecuted a gang of men who had built a chemical factory in a residential area in order to prepare, package and distribute class A drugs from their safe house. Substantial amounts of cash were recovered from concealed holds within the property and vehicles.
• Operation Camper [Birmingham] – defending one of 42 men trapped by undercover police officers buying drugs directly from them on the streets of Birmingham.
• Operation Toulouse (2014) [Birmingham] – defended a man who whilst serving a custodial sentence for drug dealing, established a network of covert mobile telephones hidden inside the prison in order to continue his operation of importing and supply drugs in the community.
• R .v. J [Gloucester] – defended a man, who for the second time, created an online website to import and export Steroids. With increasing demand and healthy profits, he established a factory to prepare massive quantities of vials and stock.
• Operation Omaha [Birmingham] – successfully prosecuted ten men using a warehouse and florist shops to disguise their criminal activity of importing tons and tons of Cannabis from Holland into the UK via lorries and the docks. Covert cameras and recording devices secured their convictions.

Misconduct in Public Office / Celebrities

Darron has developed a niche area of his practise involving the prosecution and defence of individuals who hold positions in public office / celebrity status. There is an increasing awareness of the roles played by and actions of officials and famous people within society. This has led to an equal increase in the investigations of such individuals who otherwise thought they were above the law and beyond repercussion for the decisions they take. High profile cases have included:

• R .v. PS X [Stafford] – multiple trials against a service Police Sergeant for marital rape, homophobia and child mistreatment.
• R .v. POS [Stafford] – defending a British Fighting Champion accused of rape.
• R .v. ACI X [Stafford] – successfully prosecuted an Acting Chief Superintendent for perverting the course of justice and fraud having falsely claimed expenses for an event he did not attend
• R .v. XX [Wolverhampton] – successfully defended a Home Office Employee accused of abusing his position by facilitating the entry of a family member without appropriate documentation or Visa’s.
• Op Dulwich [Stafford] – successfully prosecuted a serving Police Officer who was obtaining covert and confidential information from the Police Intelligence System, which he transferred in return for sexual favours. The leaked material was sold in turn to a drug dealer hoping to stay one step ahead of his rival gangs and the police.
• R .v. K and others [Guildford] – successfully defended a member of a popular music group accused of starting and being involved in a brawl on a petrol station forecourt following a gig.
• R .v. P [Worcester] – defended a serving female prison officer who began sexual relationships with multiple prisoners serving life sentences. Her motives appeared to be driven by fascination and thrill seeking, but did result in the smuggling of mobile telephones to inmates seeking to exact revenge on those that led to their incarceration.

Testimonials

“Darron is a class act. As an advocate he is highly persuasive and tenacious. He always has a firm grasp of the details of the case and is always diligent and well-prepared. His written work is precise, detailed and persuasive. He is a very effective cross-examiner and an astute trial tactician. He is well respected by colleagues and highly rated by judges.” Legal 500 2023

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News

Darron Whitehead secures murder convictions after man is killed by two teenagers at skate park