Sean Sullivan

Defending a man with serious mental health issues accused of murder. Led by Justin Rouse KC.

Defending the alleged hitman in an 11 week, eight defendant murder trial involving the killing of an innocent passer-by after a drive-by shooting. Led by Peter Glenser KC.

Prosecution of two employees for causing death by dangerous driving having parked their vehicles on a dual carriageway to carry out work on the side of the road. Led by Peter Glenser KC.

See news article here

Defending, alone, an allegation of causing death by careless driving.

Defending in a five-handed murder trial. Led by Anthony Berry KC.

Prosecuting for murder after a stabbing at East Croydon Station with a zombie knife. Led by Peter Glenser KC.

News report here.

Prosecuting a son for the attempted murder of his disabled mother by dousing her in white spirit and setting her alight.

News report here

Defending an allegation of attempted murder. The complainant was stabbed seven times to the chest and identified his lodger, the defendant, as his attacker. Sean challenged the identification evidence and the defendant was found not guilty.

Charged with murder, S was the only one of five defendants aquitted after a five-week trial. Sean’s cross-examination of the prosecution’s cell site expert helped undermine the prosecution’s case. Earlier, in the Divisional Court, Sean had successfully challenged a decision to refuse bail. Sean was led by Justin Rouse KC.

Prosecuting a double rapist. The defendant was convicted.

Defending a man accused of multiple rapes, people trafficking and conspiracy to cause prostitution. The defendant was acquitted.

Defending a man accused of rape and attempted rape of the same complainant after supplying her with drugs. The defendant was acquitted on both counts.

Defending a young man accused of rape where a co-defendant was running a cut-throat defence. Sean persuaded the prosecution that the evidence was such that they should offer no evidence against his client resulting in a not guilty verdict.

Sean defended a university student accused of rape whose DNA was found on a swab of the higher vagina. The defendant insisted he had never penetrated the complainant. Sean challenged the forensic evidence and suggested a risk of contamination due to not following the correct procedure. The defendant as acquitted.

Prosecuting over twenty defendants alleged to be part of an organised crime group involved in the supply of drugs, possession of firearms and an attack on the police in an attempt to retrieve seized drugs and firearms. Led by Peter Glenser KC.

H was accused of being the equal partner of the ringleader in a conspiracy to import cocaine into the United Kingdom. The drugs weighed over 1.5 tonnes and had a street value of more than £100 million. The prosecution’s case relied upon close personal and professional links to the ringleader, telephone communications and covert recordings. Sean attacked and undermined each aspect of the prosecution’s case arguing that their interpretation of the evidence was simply incorrect. The defendant was found not guilty.

Press coverage can be found here

Assisting a financial organisation engaged in global trading with financial crime compliance.

Prosecuting a defendant convicted of illegally importing and exporting endangered European eels. The offending involved over 5 million elvers to a value of over £53 million. Led by Peter Glenser KC.

See report here

Defending a businessman accused of tying up the complainant, holding him hostage, beating him and threatening to kill him. The complainant was found bound and bloodied by the police. The defence was that he had agreed to be tied up and had set up the defendant after perpetrating a serious fraud against the defendant. Advancing the defence involved a full attack on the complainant’s character in cross-examination over three days. The defendant was acquitted on all counts.

Sean was successful in having a conviction for grievous bodily harm with intent quashed by the Court of Appeal. Sean was not involved in the original trial, but was asked to appeal on the basis of disclosure failings by the police and prosecution counsel and errors made by the trial judge. The appellant was released from serving a custodial sentence.