Mark Mullins recently prosecuted Sean Higgins at Maidstone Crown Court, who was accused of attempting to stab a Police Officer multiple times.
PC Stride attended Mr Higgins' flat with a colleague after he called 999 stating that there were intruders in his back garden. After the officers searched his home, it became apparent that there was no one else at the property and Mr Higgins started to attack his possessions with a knife before repeatedly trying to stab PC Stride while his colleague was out of the house trying to get a signal for his mobile. PC Stride just managed to restrain Mr Higgins until his colleague returned. Mr Higgins had taken cocaine and also suffers from paranoid schizophrenia.
Judge Philip Statman said the psychological impact had been 'profound and lasting', and he commended PC Stride for his bravery.
A jury at Maidstone Crown Court found Mr Higgins guilty of attempted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Judge Statman imposed an extended sentence of nine years imprisonment with an additional three years on licence on the grounds Higgins was considered a danger to the public.
Mark’s practice is split between crime and immigration. He is a grade 4 Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecutor, and is therefore often instructed in serious and complex cases. Mark has prosecuted multi-million pound and multi-handed tax frauds, large-scale class A drug smuggling cases and general crime.
