GT Stewart Limited

Criminal Defence

Partner & Head of Crown Court Advocacy

Ronnie is committed to ensuring that people have a voice in the justice system. He is a very experienced advocate with substantial experience of dealing with cases of sensitivity and complexity for over 15 years.

Ronnie specialises in Criminal Defence work (in the widest sense). His criminal work involves the range of serious offences, in particular homicide, serious sexual or violent offending, Drugs & Firearms, serious organised and/or complex crime and crimes which occur in the prison environment and ‘Baby Shaking’ cases.

His experience over the years has also given him a highly useful grounding in subjects relevant to conducting complex white collar fraud trials. His ability to explain complex matters clearly and simply are of particular value in this area.

His criminal defence work has become specialised with vulnerable individuals, usually in cases of complexity or sensitivity requiring experienced and precise advocacy and forensic skills.

He has particular expertise in cases involving vulnerable people, particularly clients (or complainants). He has substantial experience in cases which involved mentally disordered individuals, individuals with learning difficulty or individuals who need particularly sensitive care, for example very young clients or witnesses. He is an approved Pupil Supervisor who has attended the Vulnerable Witness Advocacy Course, which is a compulsory requirement for advocates who conduct cases involving children, for example, child abuse, sexual abuse involving children and young defendants.

Ronnie is engaged in many cases which require an understanding and testing of the evidence of experts, in particular pathologists, forensic experts, scientific or medical experts and psychiatrists. His experience in complex money laundering, fraud, drugs , firearms and murder conspiracies had enabled him to dissect forensic material with a fine toothed comb and summarise the real issues that require scrutiny.

Ronnie is an accomplished trial advocate. He is not afraid of hard work or challenging cases and is often instructed in large multi-handed cases, particular where emotions may run high. He has been involved in a number of high profile trials and, as such, is used to dealing with cases which attract a good deal of publicity. Recently, Ronnie featured in a ‘Baby Shaking’ Channel 5 documentary in one of his real life cases. He also appeared on BBC1 Panorama documentary on joint enterprise murder “guilt by association” involving a defendant he represented in a 9 week trial at the Old Bailey.

NOTABLE CASES:

The following cases, which are some of those undertaken by Ronnie, demonstrate the range of his practice:

R v MU, Conspiracy to Supply Class A drugs, Leading Junior, Woolwich CC. February – March 2020. R v AG, Conspiracy to Supply Class A Drugs, Leading Junior. Southwark CC. January 2020. R v LL, Historical Rape, Led Junior, Inner London Crown Court. January 2020. R v SOR, Murder (self-defence/Diminished Responsibility), Led Junior. Central Criminal Court. December 2019 (adjourned until July 2020) R v WT, Murder (Diminished Responsibility), Led Junior Central Criminal Court. November 2019. R v RDW, Murder (Loss of Control), Led Junior, Snaresbrook CC. October/November 2019. R v DJ, Possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Acquitted. Inner London crown Court, September 2019. R V SF, Led junior MURDER X 2, woman alleged to have murdered her twins, acquitted or murder, convicted of manslaughter by diminished responsibility. She received s .45a Metal Health Act sentence. R v AO, vulnerable 16 year old Aggravated Burglary & Affray, multi-handed trial, Maidstone CC, July 2019. Acquitted of Aggravated Burglary. R v KF, Led junior multi-handed 6 defendant Murder trial, CCC, April to July 2019. Acquitted. R v KA, multi-handed Affray, Maidstone CC, March 2019. Acquitted R v LH, multi-handed GBH with intent, Maidstone CC, February 2019. Acquitted R v SA, Leading Junior 11 defendant conspiracy to supply class A drugs and conspiracy to commit GBH with intent, Central Criminal Court, 12 weeks, Nov 2018.  Pleased to Violent Disorder. Acquitted of GBH. R v AA, multi-handed Attempted Murder trial, SNBCC, October 2018. R v CO, Multi-handed Violent Disorder, trial, 2 week trial, MCC. September 2018. Acquitted R v NFH, Multi-handed conspiracy to Kidnap, Blackmail and False Imprison, SCC, 5 week trial, May 2018. R v MC, Leading Junior multi-handed, Conspiracy to Import Class A drugs, SCC, 6 weeks, March 2018 Acquitted R v TA, Death by Careless (homicide), WCC, 5 days, February 2018 Acquitted R v SH, multi-handed Money Laundering in a split trial involving 50 defendants, 120 victims, £3million fraudulent money – Lewes CC, 3 weeks, January 2018.

English