Andrew Wrigglesworth sentenced at Leeds Crown Court for attempting to murder six of his work colleagues, Abdul Iqbal QC defends
Park Square BarristersAbdul Iqbal QC recently defended Andrew Wrigglesworth at Leeds Crown Court who was sentenced for attempting to murder six of his work colleagues.
Wrigglesworth drove his motor car at speed onto the pavement in Cleckheaton and deliberately knocked down six of his work colleagues after an altercation after a Christmas party. The victims were left strewn in the street in various levels of consciousness.
It was plain that the target of this criminal act was one of the six men with whom Wrigglesworth had argued just before the incident. The defendant had shortly before the incident threatened to kill people.
Three of the six victims were left with long-term life-changing injuries.
The case involved arguments as to admissibility of “strikingly similar” evidence as bad character relating to a similar incident almost 20 years ago. It also involved arguments as to the scope of criminal culpability for a plainly dangerous act aimed at only one of multiple victims.
Sentencing of Wrigglesworth involved arguments as to dangerousness and whether the case was exceptionally serious so as to warrant imprisonment for life together with arguments as to the effect of the Release of Prisoners (Alteration of Relevant Proportion of Sentence) Order 2019 upon assessment of any minimum term to be served.
The defence successfully argued that, even with the very high level of culpability flowing from the attempted murder of six people, that the court could not safely conclude Wrigglesworth was dangerous.
The defendant received a determinate sentence of imprisonment of 30 years reflecting the very high level of culpability for this offending.
The case was widely reported nationally. Further details can be found here :
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-53923450
Abdul Iqbal QC regularly appears in the most serious and complex criminal cases involving homicide and terrorism.
He also regularly represents professionals charged with criminal and regulatory offences before the courts and/or their professional regulatory bodies.
Contact Abdul’s clerks
Andrew Thornton on 0113 213 5202
Rebecca Wilson on 0113 213 5203
Hannah Dempsey on 0113 213 5211