Notable Cases - Criminal Law
Criminal Law Notable Cases:
2019:
R v T & Others (Birmingham Crown Court - Junior Alone) HP Gower Solicitors
Conspiracy to fraudulently evade HM Customs and Excise of approximately £5million of duty by importing cigarettes. Represented a lorry driver in this long running complex trial which involved almost 20,000 pages of used material.
2018:
R v B (Aylesbury Crown Court – Junior Alone) OWN Solicitors
Successfully defended an elderly grandfather accused of sexually assaulting his granddaughter and her friends.
2017:
R v T & T (Leicester Crown Court - Leading Junior) Nobles
An indictment containing 76 counts of child abuse, neglect, drug supply and rapes of a couple's own children and their friends. This high profile case attracted significant media attention. I represented the wife who had been controlled by the first defendant and coerced into committing offences with him. She was acquitted of all allegations in which the Crown alleged she had acted alone.
2016:
R v K (Cambridge Crown Court – Junior Alone) Nobles
An historical allegation of a young man accused, with two friends, of raping a school friend when she was 12 and he was 14.
R v M (Stafford Crown Court – Junior Alone) IKP
Accused of possession of heroin and firearms. The case involved interesting elements of expert evidence.
R v R (Isleworth & Aylesbury Crown Court) OWN Solicitors
A young man accused of arson with intent along with cases of burglary and indecent exposure which were remitted for sentence following the trial of the more serious matter.
2015:
R v NS (Harrow Crown Court) Nobles
An ‘elder’ of his Temple who stood trial for sex with a minor who had borne his child aged 14.
R v R & Others (Bristol Crown Court – Led Junior) Mann & Co
Representing the second on the indictment in a 10-handed case involving conspiracy to supply cocaine and then to set up drugs factories for MDMA, Methamphetamine and Crystal Meth. The case was the first of its kind to be tried in the UK and involved a vast amount of covert audio recordings with defendants based in Bristol, Birmingham and Bedford.
2014:
R v C and Others (Central Criminal Court – Junior alone) Nobles
This was part of the Operation Elveden. The defendant was acquitted on appeal against conviction and the case is reported here [2015] All ER (D) 313 (Mar).
R v M (Cardiff Crown Court – Junior alone) Nobles
First on an indictment involving 13 defendants in respect of a conspiracy to supply cannabis over an extended period joined with a further allegation of perverting the course of justice. It was a complex and lengthy matter involving covert surveillance and voice recordings. In the course of the trial the defendant made several threats to other personnel in the courtroom which remain the subject of investigation.
R v A (Northampton Crown Court – Junior alone) Nobles
Rape of his adult stepdaughter, both historical and contemporary allegations. Acquitted of the historical allegations.
R v C (Harrow Crown Court – Junior alone) Nobles
Represented a man of good character accused of sexually assaulting and digitally raping a vulnerable teenage girl late at night having accosted and followed her on a tube train. He was acquitted of rape despite strong evidence for the prosecution.
R v B (Isleworth Crown Court – Junior alone) Nobles
Successfully represented a young man of good character accused of being concerned in the supply of a vast quantity of cannabis. Narrowed the Crown’s case following a submission of ‘no case to answer’.
2013:
R v D (Croydon Crown Court – Junior alone) CPS
Successfully prosecuted a woman for attempting to smuggle large amounts of cocaine from St. Lucia into Gatwick airport.
R v J & Others (Croydon Crown Court – Junior alone) CPS
Five youths attacked a single passenger travelling alone at night on a train. They punched and kicked the defenceless man leaving him shaken and injured.
2012:
R v A (St. Albans - Junior alone) Nobles
Charge reduced from attempted murder to s18 (GBH). Following a 4-day trial was acquitted of s18 but convicted of s20 (which he had always admitted).
2011:
R v O (Central Criminal Court – Junior alone) Lawrence & Co.
Instructed to represent a Lithuanian national arrested on an international extradition warrant in respect of murder. The defendant claimed self-defence.
2010:
R v S (Isleworth Crown Court – Junior alone) Lawrence & Co.
Successfully represented a 72 year old man of good character accused of marital rape by his 39 year old wife. Unusually there was considerable supporting evidence for the prosecution in that he had admitted being violent both before and immediately after the “consensual” act.
R v W and others (Central Criminal Court – Junior alone) Mackesys
Represented number eight out of nine youths accused of s18 and violent disorder in an offence concerning street gang rivalry. The case relating to my lay client involved a great deal of cell site analysis. The Crown served You Tube footage which came to light during the course of the trial and showed my lay client “rapping” about his involvement with the gang and included inciteful lyrics. It became apparent to all parties that he was in fact the leader of the Black Mafia street gang and had engineered and co-ordinated both this attack and another similar event for which he was sentenced.
2009:
R v X & others (Wood Green Crown Court - Leading Junior) CPS
These defendants faced counts of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm and possession of firearms. The allegation was that different factions of Albanian nationals' arguments resulted in one man being shot in the back. There was a fourth defendant joined to the indictment although he successfully lodged an application to dismiss.
J v R (Court of Appeal) CPS
Leading Counsel
Successfully opposed the appeal against conviction and sentence of J (see 2007, Inner London Crown Court) in a hearing lasting two days. The appellant had appealed the decision to allow the third complainant's evidence to be put before the jury under the bad character regulations.
2008:
R v P (Inner London Crown Court) Wiseman Lee Solicitors
Led by Peter Clarke QC, QEB HollisWhiteman Chambers
Defended a Czech national, serial sex offender accused of rape, false imprisonment and robbery of a number of eastern European girls. The case involved considerable investigation overseas and complex hearsay arguments regarding the admissibility of foreign documents. He was sentenced to 14 life sentences and his appeal against sentence was rejected by the Court of Appeal.
R v M & Others (St Albans Crown Court) Bankside Law
Led by David Whittaker, 9 Bedford Row
Eight week trial of significant complexity defending the alleged ringleader in a multi-handed long firm fraud, with substantial documentation and papers. Originally instructed as junior alone but as the case developed it became clear that leading counsel of particular seniority and expertise was required.
R v O (Snaresbrook Crown Court – junior alone) CPS
Prosecuted a 16 year old boy of good character accused of raping his 4 year old female cousin, which utilised my considerable experience in dealing with vulnerable witnesses via video-link. The particular case required extreme sensitivity not least given the age of the witnesses and the high emotions of the adult family members.
2007:
R v J (Inner London Crown Court) CPS
Leading counsel
Successfully prosecuted a juvenile defendant accused of rape, attempted rape, false imprisonment and assault of two 15 year old girls. A novel feature of this case was our unusual yet successful bad character application relating to evidence of an alleged third victim in respect of whom the Crown had offered no evidence after she withdrew the allegations.
R v W & others (Woolwich Crown Court) Morgan Hall
Led by Edward McKiernan, Farringdon Chambers
Acted for the third defendant in a four-handed large scale commercial conspiracy to import class A drugs which was made all the more complex by the cut-throat defences maintained between defendants one and two and another between defendants three and four. The jury was discharged after 50 days in trial one as our client had previous misconduct that did not come to light until the Judge was summing up the case. She was convicted after the second trial which lasted 55 days. In addition to the usual duties as junior counsel, my role was to deal with the telephone call data evidence and interviews at trial.
R v M (Woolwich Crown Court – junior alone) Hartnells
Defended a 62 year old man accused of historic allegations of rape and sexual assault of his juvenile step-daughters of a particularly traumatic nature, attracting much press interest, not least due to the seriousness. Appeal against the 18 year sentence was rejected.
R v B (Inner London Crown Court – junior alone) CPS
Successfully prosecuted a defendant accused of gratuitous violence on a vulnerable victim. She robbed an 80 year old man in his own home and hit him over the head with a hammer which has led to his severe dementia rendering him no longer able to give evidence.
2006:
R v B and others (Snaresbrook Crown Court) Wiseman Lee
Led by Edward McKiernan, Farringdon Chambers
Successfully defended in a six-handed conspiracy to kidnap trial during which the 5th defendant turned Queen’s evidence. Following a hung jury in the first trial, during which each of the co-defendants was convicted, the defendant was tried again. The Crown offered no evidence after a second jury failed to reach a verdict. This particular defendant was a professional actor having appeared in a lead role in a long standing comedy series in the US as well as many other roles on tv and in film.
2005:
R v A (Inner London Crown Court – junior alone) CPS
Took over the prosecution in the second trial of a man accused of the armed robbery of a convenience store after a first jury had failed to reach a verdict. The second jury were unable to reach a verdict and unusually I advised that this was a case suitable to be tried for a third time as the defendant had previous for similar offences and was in danger of a life sentence if convicted. That trial resulted in a conviction and the subsequent appeal was dismissed.
2004:
R v O (Inner London Crown Court – junior alone) CPS
Armed Robbery - Reported case - [2005] All ER (D) 291 (Apr)
2019:
R v T & Others (Birmingham Crown Court - Junior Alone) HP Gower Solicitors
Conspiracy to fraudulently evade HM Customs and Excise of approximately £5million of duty by importing cigarettes. Represented a lorry driver in this long running complex trial which involved almost 20,000 pages of used material.
2018:
R v B (Aylesbury Crown Court – Junior Alone) OWN Solicitors
Successfully defended an elderly grandfather accused of sexually assaulting his granddaughter and her friends.
2017:
R v T & T (Leicester Crown Court - Leading Junior) Nobles
An indictment containing 76 counts of child abuse, neglect, drug supply and rapes of a couple's own children and their friends. This high profile case attracted significant media attention. I represented the wife who had been controlled by the first defendant and coerced into committing offences with him. She was acquitted of all allegations in which the Crown alleged she had acted alone.
2016:
R v K (Cambridge Crown Court – Junior Alone) Nobles
An historical allegation of a young man accused, with two friends, of raping a school friend when she was 12 and he was 14.
R v M (Stafford Crown Court – Junior Alone) IKP
Accused of possession of heroin and firearms. The case involved interesting elements of expert evidence.
R v R (Isleworth & Aylesbury Crown Court) OWN Solicitors
A young man accused of arson with intent along with cases of burglary and indecent exposure which were remitted for sentence following the trial of the more serious matter.
2015:
R v NS (Harrow Crown Court) Nobles
An ‘elder’ of his Temple who stood trial for sex with a minor who had borne his child aged 14.
R v R & Others (Bristol Crown Court – Led Junior) Mann & Co
Representing the second on the indictment in a 10-handed case involving conspiracy to supply cocaine and then to set up drugs factories for MDMA, Methamphetamine and Crystal Meth. The case was the first of its kind to be tried in the UK and involved a vast amount of covert audio recordings with defendants based in Bristol, Birmingham and Bedford.
2014:
R v C and Others (Central Criminal Court – Junior alone) Nobles
This was part of the Operation Elveden. The defendant was acquitted on appeal against conviction and the case is reported here [2015] All ER (D) 313 (Mar).
R v M (Cardiff Crown Court – Junior alone) Nobles
First on an indictment involving 13 defendants in respect of a conspiracy to supply cannabis over an extended period joined with a further allegation of perverting the course of justice. It was a complex and lengthy matter involving covert surveillance and voice recordings. In the course of the trial the defendant made several threats to other personnel in the courtroom which remain the subject of investigation.
R v A (Northampton Crown Court – Junior alone) Nobles
Rape of his adult stepdaughter, both historical and contemporary allegations. Acquitted of the historical allegations.
R v C (Harrow Crown Court – Junior alone) Nobles
Represented a man of good character accused of sexually assaulting and digitally raping a vulnerable teenage girl late at night having accosted and followed her on a tube train. He was acquitted of rape despite strong evidence for the prosecution.
R v B (Isleworth Crown Court – Junior alone) Nobles
Successfully represented a young man of good character accused of being concerned in the supply of a vast quantity of cannabis. Narrowed the Crown’s case following a submission of ‘no case to answer’.
2013:
R v D (Croydon Crown Court – Junior alone) CPS
Successfully prosecuted a woman for attempting to smuggle large amounts of cocaine from St. Lucia into Gatwick airport.
R v J & Others (Croydon Crown Court – Junior alone) CPS
Five youths attacked a single passenger travelling alone at night on a train. They punched and kicked the defenceless man leaving him shaken and injured.
2012:
R v A (St. Albans - Junior alone) Nobles
Charge reduced from attempted murder to s18 (GBH). Following a 4-day trial was acquitted of s18 but convicted of s20 (which he had always admitted).
2011:
R v O (Central Criminal Court – Junior alone) Lawrence & Co.
Instructed to represent a Lithuanian national arrested on an international extradition warrant in respect of murder. The defendant claimed self-defence.
2010:
R v S (Isleworth Crown Court – Junior alone) Lawrence & Co.
Successfully represented a 72 year old man of good character accused of marital rape by his 39 year old wife. Unusually there was considerable supporting evidence for the prosecution in that he had admitted being violent both before and immediately after the “consensual” act.
R v W and others (Central Criminal Court – Junior alone) Mackesys
Represented number eight out of nine youths accused of s18 and violent disorder in an offence concerning street gang rivalry. The case relating to my lay client involved a great deal of cell site analysis. The Crown served You Tube footage which came to light during the course of the trial and showed my lay client “rapping” about his involvement with the gang and included inciteful lyrics. It became apparent to all parties that he was in fact the leader of the Black Mafia street gang and had engineered and co-ordinated both this attack and another similar event for which he was sentenced.
2009:
R v X & others (Wood Green Crown Court - Leading Junior) CPS
These defendants faced counts of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm and possession of firearms. The allegation was that different factions of Albanian nationals' arguments resulted in one man being shot in the back. There was a fourth defendant joined to the indictment although he successfully lodged an application to dismiss.
J v R (Court of Appeal) CPS
Leading Counsel
Successfully opposed the appeal against conviction and sentence of J (see 2007, Inner London Crown Court) in a hearing lasting two days. The appellant had appealed the decision to allow the third complainant's evidence to be put before the jury under the bad character regulations.
2008:
R v P (Inner London Crown Court) Wiseman Lee Solicitors
Led by Peter Clarke QC, QEB HollisWhiteman Chambers
Defended a Czech national, serial sex offender accused of rape, false imprisonment and robbery of a number of eastern European girls. The case involved considerable investigation overseas and complex hearsay arguments regarding the admissibility of foreign documents. He was sentenced to 14 life sentences and his appeal against sentence was rejected by the Court of Appeal.
R v M & Others (St Albans Crown Court) Bankside Law
Led by David Whittaker, 9 Bedford Row
Eight week trial of significant complexity defending the alleged ringleader in a multi-handed long firm fraud, with substantial documentation and papers. Originally instructed as junior alone but as the case developed it became clear that leading counsel of particular seniority and expertise was required.
R v O (Snaresbrook Crown Court – junior alone) CPS
Prosecuted a 16 year old boy of good character accused of raping his 4 year old female cousin, which utilised my considerable experience in dealing with vulnerable witnesses via video-link. The particular case required extreme sensitivity not least given the age of the witnesses and the high emotions of the adult family members.
2007:
R v J (Inner London Crown Court) CPS
Leading counsel
Successfully prosecuted a juvenile defendant accused of rape, attempted rape, false imprisonment and assault of two 15 year old girls. A novel feature of this case was our unusual yet successful bad character application relating to evidence of an alleged third victim in respect of whom the Crown had offered no evidence after she withdrew the allegations.
R v W & others (Woolwich Crown Court) Morgan Hall
Led by Edward McKiernan, Farringdon Chambers
Acted for the third defendant in a four-handed large scale commercial conspiracy to import class A drugs which was made all the more complex by the cut-throat defences maintained between defendants one and two and another between defendants three and four. The jury was discharged after 50 days in trial one as our client had previous misconduct that did not come to light until the Judge was summing up the case. She was convicted after the second trial which lasted 55 days. In addition to the usual duties as junior counsel, my role was to deal with the telephone call data evidence and interviews at trial.
R v M (Woolwich Crown Court – junior alone) Hartnells
Defended a 62 year old man accused of historic allegations of rape and sexual assault of his juvenile step-daughters of a particularly traumatic nature, attracting much press interest, not least due to the seriousness. Appeal against the 18 year sentence was rejected.
R v B (Inner London Crown Court – junior alone) CPS
Successfully prosecuted a defendant accused of gratuitous violence on a vulnerable victim. She robbed an 80 year old man in his own home and hit him over the head with a hammer which has led to his severe dementia rendering him no longer able to give evidence.
2006:
R v B and others (Snaresbrook Crown Court) Wiseman Lee
Led by Edward McKiernan, Farringdon Chambers
Successfully defended in a six-handed conspiracy to kidnap trial during which the 5th defendant turned Queen’s evidence. Following a hung jury in the first trial, during which each of the co-defendants was convicted, the defendant was tried again. The Crown offered no evidence after a second jury failed to reach a verdict. This particular defendant was a professional actor having appeared in a lead role in a long standing comedy series in the US as well as many other roles on tv and in film.
2005:
R v A (Inner London Crown Court – junior alone) CPS
Took over the prosecution in the second trial of a man accused of the armed robbery of a convenience store after a first jury had failed to reach a verdict. The second jury were unable to reach a verdict and unusually I advised that this was a case suitable to be tried for a third time as the defendant had previous for similar offences and was in danger of a life sentence if convicted. That trial resulted in a conviction and the subsequent appeal was dismissed.
2004:
R v O (Inner London Crown Court – junior alone) CPS
Armed Robbery - Reported case - [2005] All ER (D) 291 (Apr)