July 1, 2026
Stephen Rose KC and Hugh French appeared for the prosecution in which Jon Ismaili was sentenced to life imprisonment following his conviction for murder.
Mr. Ismaili was unanimously convicted by the jury of murdering 23-year-old Catalina Birlea, who died from compression of the neck after being strangled at a property in Cambridge on 2 October 2025.
He was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years.
Stephen Rose KC is regularly instructed in cases of homicide on behalf of both the prosecution and the defence.
Hugh French is a Grade 4 CPS Panel Advocate, regularly instructed by the CPS as junior counsel in homicide trials. He also undertakes defence work in Serious Crime and Sexual offences.
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