David Spens KC appeared at the Central Criminal Court representing Nandito Badea in sentencing proceedings following the stabbing of Pouria Zeraati, a journalist working for Iran International, a satellite television channel critical of the Islamic Republic of Iran, outside his home in Wimbledon in March 2024.
The defendants were convicted of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The court found the defendants, both Romanian, were acting as proxies for the Iranian regime. The court was satisfied Mr Stana, Mr Badea’s co-defendant, knew or ought to have known they were acting on behalf of a foreign power - the foreign power condition. He received a sentence of 12 years’ imprisonment.
David persuaded the court the foreign power condition did not apply to Mr Badea. Accordingly, he received a sentence of 8 years’ imprisonment.
David was instructed by Manoj Rupasinghe of Lloyds PR Solicitors.
The case has been widely reported in the press:
David Spens KC