A barrister was the ‘clear target’ of devices designed to resemble explosives planted at Gray’s Inn which were ‘intended to cause alarm, distress, and public and professional embarrassment’, the Old Bailey heard today.

The alleged 'bomb' plot arose after the lawyer was instructed to conduct legal proceedings relating to a National Crime Agency investigation into a wealthy businessman and his wife.

In a trial scheduled for 12 weeks Jonathan Nuttall, 50, of Romsey in Hampshire, along with co-defendants Joshua Broddle, 20, Michael Sode, 58, Charlie Broddle, 18, and George Gray, 25, face charges of conspiring to place an explosive article with intent. The court heard Nuttall held a ‘deep-seated grudge’ against barrister Andrew Sutcliffe KC which led to the ‘bold and targeted strike’.

Two devices were placed in Gray’s Inn, one beside a bench and the second outside chambers 3 Verulam Buildings, on 14 September 2021. A smoke grenade was also let off to ‘ensure that maximum alarm was caused’.

The Old Bailey, Central Criminal Court

The trial at the Old Bailey heard of a 'bold and targeted strike' against a barrister at Gray’s Inn

Source: iStock

Police were called and the incident led to building evacuations and road closures. 

Prosecuting, Catherine Farrell told the jury the ‘leaving of the devices…was not an isolated event’. Michael Broddle, 46, who admitted placing the devices – referred to as device one and two - at Gray’s Inn, ‘had been conducting research and undertaking surveillance on Andrew Sutcliffe…for at least six months’.

Similar surveillance had been undertaken on barrister Anne Jeavons, who worked with Sutcliffe, and ‘both Michael Broddle’s sons had assisted him in undertaking those tasks’, the court heard.

Farrell said: ‘Andrew Sutcliffe was the clear target of the events at Gray’s Inn that afternoon. The significant attention that surrounded those events was designed not only to cause widespread alarm but intended to cause specifically him alarm -  not just alarm, but distress and public and professional embarrassment. The prosecution says whoever was behind such an attack had clearly considered and planned it carefully. Such a person must have had a deep-seated grudge against him and would have required the means to execute such a bold and targeted strike at Andrew Sutcliffe.

‘The person behind this was the first defendant in this case, Jonathan Nuttall.’

Farrell said that since 2011, the National Crime Agency had been investigating Jonathan Nuttall, his wife Amanda Nuttall and others, over alleged money laundering and other offences. In 2015 the NCA instructed Sutcliffe to conduct the legal proceedings into Jonathan Nuttall and others. Later in 2017, the NCA instructed a second barrister in Sutcliffe’s chambers to work alongside him -  Anne Jeavons.

The jury was told that an order was made in April 2019 leading to the recovery of £1m of assets from Amanda Nuttall. Farrell added: ‘It is clear he, Jonathan Nuttall, harboured a great deal of animosity towards Andrew Sutcliffe and to a lesser degree Anne Jeavons, accusing the two of them in behaving in an unprofessional way [when conducting the NCA case].

‘It is clear Jonathan Nuttall perceived the NCA case as causing him and his family public embarrassment and ruining his reputation.’

The court heard that Michael Broddle accepted he had placed the devices, but his co-defendants denied being involved.

Nuttall, Michael Sode (Nutall’s driver and an associate of Michael Broddle) and Broddle’s sons Charlie and Joshua are accused of being involved in the ‘criminal plan’. All four deny all allegations against them.

Nuttall, Sode, and Charlie and Joshua Broddle are charged with conspiracy to place an article with intent with the intention of inducing in another a belief that the said article was likely to explode or ignite and thereby cause personal injury or damage to property; and conspiracy to transfer criminal property.

Nuttall and Sode are also charged with failing to comply with a notice when they knowingly failed to disclose the PIN or passcode to a digital storage device.

Charlie Broddle is also charged with possessing an explosive substance.

The trial continues.