Nicola Howard KC secures acquittal in bribery case

Nicola Howard KC, leading Nick James of 2 Bedford Row, successfully defended a company director charged with bribery and money laundering offences by the SFO. The 15-week trial of three men involved in the corporate fit-out industry concluded with unanimous acquittals on all counts. This was the culmination of an extensive SFO investigation lasting 6 years and generating some 4 million documents. The SFO alleged that bribes had been paid in order to win contracts subject to competitive tender processes. The defence case was that the payments were for leads and that such payments are common in the fit-out industry. The jury returned not guilty verdicts following less than a day of deliberations.

Nicola was instructed by Namita Pawa of Hallinan, Blackburn, Gittings and Knott.