Joshua Purser

This was a National Crime Agency-led operation focussed on disrupting the sexual exploitation of children in the United Kingdom on a commercial scale. Joshua’s client was second on the indictment in a conspiracy to sexually assault a new born baby over adult internet cam sites. The allegations also involved a network of paedophiles as co-defendants who were said to be receiving IIoC distributed by Joshua’s client. The trial involved the cross-examination of vulnerable witnesses using the s28 procedure, a cut-throat defence with the first Defendant and complex disclosure issues surrounding the identities of uncharged sex offenders.

Joshua successfully upheld the sentence of his client following written and oral submission upon an application by HM’s AG. Joshua successfully argued that a sentence of 7 years for conspiring to sexually abuse her children and distributing various IIOC to paedophiles, making her over £100k was lenient but not unduly lenient.

Joshua was led by King’s Counsel in this four-handed attempted murder. The facts surrounded a co-ordinated ambush on two suspected drug dealers from a rival gang. The Ds sourced a vehicle which was subsequently used to ram the victim’s off the road and into collision with an innocent payment before opening fire with a sawn off shotgun at their intended targets. The defence team secured acquittals for their client on attempted murder, and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Joshua led the prosecution team as junior alone in this operation run by Derbyshire and South Yorkshire police. The purpose of the operation was to disrupt county lines drug dealing in the area. Joshua prosecuted two separate 9 handed conspiracies to supply class A drugs. The two test-purchase cases attracted various complexities of modern slavery, disclosure and cell-site evidence. The leading members of the conspiracy were found to be in possession of over £70,000 cash, jewellery designer clothing and assets with one of them using a dog breeding business as a cover.

Joshua secured convictions and findings at a trial of issue. The matter awaits sentence and confiscation.

Joshua defended his client charged with owning and overseeing a vehicle chop-shop. The Crown’s case involved a greater conspiracy to steal high value, high performance vehicles from the West Midlands and take the to Oxford to be dismantled. Joshua’s client was accused of handling over half a million pounds worth of stolen vehicles and perverting the course of justice. The evidence involved the expertise of various vehicle experts who were attributing scrap parts to stolen cars.

Joshua secured acquittals for his client on a knife point rape after a 7 day trial at Birmingham Crown Court. His client was charged with section 18 wounding and the oral rape of his ex-partner on New Year’s Day.

Joshua prosecuted and secured convictions in a 2 week trial of a man charged with child cruelty offences. The trial involved the mother and 3 young children giving evidence via ABE and live link. Joshua is well versed in dealing with vulnerable witnesses in and out of court. The case involved legal argument surrounding the disclosure and admissibility of material taken from Family Court proceedings.

Joshua Purser secured convictions for attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intend to cause fear of violence at Birmingham Crown Court.The Defendant had professionally tracked his victim over the course of the night of 9th September 2023. He set up his ambush in a dark alley in Craneberry Road, Chelmsley Wood and opened fire indiscriminately at 00:58 hours on 10th September.The victim was hit in the neck by one bullet that came to rest in his shoulder. A forensic pathologist told the jury he was millimetres from being killed. He discharged his Glock pistol a further 4 times in the residential area but failed in his assassination attempt.

The defendant was sentenced to a total of 32 years’s custody after the jury unanimously convicted.