Paul Reader, one of the men charged over the £20m Hatton Garden robbery has had the charges against him dropped. Mr Reader is represented by James Scobie QC of Garden Court Chambers.
Paul Reader was released from Belmarsh prison after the prosecution told the Judge at Woolwich Crown Court it was not offering any evidence against him. Mr Reader had faced two charges – conspiracy to burgle the Hatton Garden safe deposit centre and ‘conspiracy to convert or transfer criminal property, namely a quantity of jewellery and other items’. He had denied both charges.
This development in the case has been widely reported in the media on the BBC, Sky News, the Guardian, the Evening Standard and The Telegraph.
Paul Reader’s father, Brian Reader is one of four men who have pleaded guilty to their part in the raid. Brian Reader is also represented by James Scobie QC. Another four have denied the charges and are due to go on trial next week.
Peter Rowlands of Garden Court Chambers is representing Terry Perkins who has pleaded guilty and will be sentenced at the end of the forthcoming trial.
James Scobie QC and Peter Rowlands are members of the Garden Court Crime Team, winners of the Legal 500 Crime Set of the Year 2015.