Who? Paul Millan, 38, solicitor-advocate and head of the complex crime unit at Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire criminal law practice, Noble Solicitors.
Why is he in the news? Secured the acquittal of Sarah Bush, one of two defendants accused of murder in a case dubbed the ‘Jigsaw Killing’ by some newspapers. The case related to the murder and dismemberment of Jeffrey Howe and the disposal of his body parts across Hertfordshire and Leicestershire last spring. The court heard that after Howe’s death, Bush and the co-defendant sold his car on eBay and set up an online shopping account in his name to obtain £1,700 worth of goods. It also heard expert evidence that amputating certain body parts required specialist skills – something Bush’s co-defendant possessed through his links to the Adams crime family in London. He confessed to the killing three weeks into the trial and has now been sentenced to 36 years in jail. Bush was cleared of the murder charge, but sentenced to three years and nine months in custody on two counts of perverting the course of justice.
Thoughts on the case: ‘This was probably the most interesting, thought-provoking and challenging case that I have ever worked on. We were able to demonstrate that Sarah Bush, a vulnerable person, came into contact with the criminal justice system due to social deprivation and lack of judgement. The case was highly stressful and demanding, particularly when you contrasted Sarah Bush’s vulnerability and dysfunctional existence with the sheer dangerousness of the co-defendant.’
Dealing with the media: ‘The media acted in a responsible manner throughout, despite the exceptional frenzy that this sensational case aroused.’
Why become a lawyer? ‘Not for the financial rewards. We are predominantly a publicly funded firm and it is worrying that the service we provide to legally aided defendants, given the repeated rounds of cuts imposed by the government, is unsustainable.’
http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/lawyer-in-the-news/paul-millan-acts-defendant-jigsaw-killing-case
