Member of the Criminal and Regulatory groups
Head of Crime Group (2024- current)
Leader of the Midland Circuit (2017-2021)
Bencher of Gray’s Inn
Areas of speciality: very highly regarded national specialist in serious/serious organised crime, serious gang related crime (especially homicide involving young defendants and vulnerable witnesses), cybercrime, serious complex fraud and regulatory work. Particular expertise in cell site and technical evidence resulting in instructions on many large-scale multi-handed conspiracies to commit fraud and conspiracies to murder. Michael has worked in this field for thirty-five years having been made the youngest grade 4 prosecutor in the Midlands at the time, aged thirty at seven years call. Michael both defends and prosecutes cases in the UK and Commonwealth jurisdictions (private and legally aided). He is instructed by the CPS, Complex Casework Units and solicitors from around the country as well as locally in Birmingham and the Midlands.
Michael has appeared in some of the country’s most well-known/ infamous cases throughout his career including the re-trial of Sara Thornton 1996 -the case established the legal existence of “battered woman’s syndrome” appeal of Jeremy Bamber (2002-“The White House Farm Murders”) convicted of the murder of five family members (the appeal was the largest single appellant appeal to be heard in the UK at the time) ; as a leading junior the successful prosecution of Burger bar gang members for the killing of Charlene Ellis and Letisha Shakespeare (the “New Year's Day Shootings” in 2004-2005 Operation Stanstead); representation of one of the “M40 Bikers” for murder (2008-R v Garside); the successful representation of men alleged to have been involved in murders during the Birmingham riots in both 2007( as a junior) R v Waqar Ahmed and 2011 R v Ruiz- Gaviria as a Silk; R v Reynolds (2013 )Michael was involved in defending a 22 year old man charged with the planned murder of a serving police officer’s 17 year old daughter following a national manhunt by the police, in R v Harry Street (2015) the prosecution of a 71 year old man for possessing bomb making equipment and firearms (having been convicted of counts of homicide with firearms in 1978) . R v Hagan (2015) Involved representation of a security officer at Ashworth Hospital accused of selling photographs of serial killer Ian Brady ( Moors Murderer) to the News of The World as part of Operation Elvedon ; R v Bramhall (2017) private representation of a world renowned liver surgeon being prosecuted for the assault of two of his patients by marking his initials on their transplanted livers( the case attracted international publicity); R v Dhaliwhal ( Jan – March 2018) the only Silk in the first of three trials ,representing a client accused of being the head of a large scale “grooming”‘/trafficking gang in Huddersfield -reporting restrictions were imposed throughout all three trials and were lifted Oct 2018. More recently the successful prosecution in R v Carpenter et al (January – March 2024) the so-called Cube Night Club murder prosecuting the fatal stabbing of a young footballer, Cody Fisher, which attracted much media attention. Many of these cases continue to attract significant media interest both nationally and around the world.
EXCELLENT TRACK RECORD
Excellent track record in achieving successful murder prosecutions which include:- body in the flat murder R v Barnes –( 2019): murder of a homeless man by beating and kicking; R v Olczyk – (2019); 3 handed knife murder and robbery of two young victims - complex CCTV and cell site investigation: R v Innis et al – (August 2019). R v Tampwo et al ( 2020- 2021) four-handed fatal stabbing in May 2018 involving a 15-year-old victim and four young defendants; R v Haines and Widget (2022) instructed by York Casework Directorate both defendants convicted of the kicking to death of a man in the street; R v Edwards et al (2022)gang shooting of a 14-year-old child rendering him paraplegic and a subsequent trial of a fourth defendant R v Clarke ( 2023): R v Willington (2022) stabbed his friend/ associate multiple times on a supermarket car park. R v Naysmith (2023) murder of defendant’s associate involving significant mental health matters. R v Carpenter et al (2024) murder of footballer Cody Fisher in the Cube Nightclub
Defence murder/manslaughter acquittals include:- R v SM (Dec 2021) a man accused of conspiracy to murder a 15-year-old boy with a firearm: R v CB (Feb 2022) successful representation of a young offender/vulnerable witness requiring an intermediary jointly accused with two adults and two other young defendants with a knife murder of another child; (R v G July 2019) a young man accused of murder in a multi-handed drive-by, gang-related, shooting in Nottingham - the defendant was acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter - two of the co-defendants were convicted of the murder; a man accused of the manslaughter of an elderly neighbour (R v Johnson – Aug 2018), a man accused of fatal petrol station stabbing in Coventry (R v Vastaki – Barsby – Dec 2017), the Shepherds Bush murder trial at the Old Bailey(R v Yousef Mohamud – Aug 2017).
SERIOUS GANG RELATED CRIME
Michael specialises in cases involving serious gang crime and has done so for over thirty years. The Burger Bar and Johnson Crew - Birmingham based gangs formed in the 1990s -were cemented as the major gangs of Birmingham by the millennium. Michael was involved as a junior in the prosecution of Operation Asia / Laura (1997) a murder of a man shot dead in his car, through Operation Stanstead as a leading junior (2004-2005)– the “New Year’s Eve Murders” where Charlene Ellis and Letitia Shakespeare were caught in the crossfire of a gang-related shooting right up to the more recent gang-related cases of today R v Tampwo et al 2020 four handed fatal stabbing involving a fifteen-year-old victim and four young defendants 2020 R v Edwards (2022) and R v Clarke ( 2023) two trials involving a gang-related shooting of a fourteen-year-old child rendering him paraplegic. Michael’s career-long experience with gang-related crime means he is regularly instructed, both to prosecute and defend, very serious gang-related crimes due to the breadth and depth of his knowledge and skill in this area. Michael was called to the Cayman Island Bar twice to successfully defend two gang-related murders in two separate trials. Gang-related crime is increasingly involving young offenders as is constantly highlighted in the national media.
VULNERABLE WITNESSES/ YOUNG DEFENDANTS
Michael has developed a reputation as an expert in cases involving young and or vulnerable witnesses and or defendants. He has a courtroom manner which allows him to adduce evidence from vulnerable/young witnesses and defendants in an effective but non-confrontational manner. Michael is regularly instructed in cases involving vulnerable witnesses and young defendants this includes serious gang-related crime, human trafficking and rape /sex cases. Vulnerable witness/young defendants cases:- R v Ashraf M ( Sheffield Crown Court April- June 2023) representation of a vulnerable 18 year old man in a drug related torture murder; R v T et al ( 2022) advice given from the pre-charge stage, multi-handed case involving sexual grooming and exploitation of young female complainants; R v Edwards et al (2022) multi- handed prosecution of gang shooting of a 14 year old child rendering him paraplegic ( 2022 and a subsequent trial of a fourth defendant R v Clarke in 2023) ;R v Ugochukwu (October – November 2021) representation of an 18 year old at the time of trial jointly accused with two other 18 year olds, a 14 year old and a 16 year old of the knife and firearm murder of a 15 year old boy; R v Tampwo (Oct 2020 - Jan 2021) successful prosecution of a four handed fatal stabbing with a 15 year old victim and four young defendants; representation of a young offender who was jointly accused of stabbing a man to death in a fight along with four others (R v W - April 2019); prosecution of a young offender (17) and another jointly charged with murder of a 16 year old stabbed outside Sutton Coldfield McDonalds, both were convicted (R v Ingram and Hussain - Nov 18); representation of the first defendant in a multi- handed historic trafficking trial (R v Dhaliwal Leeds Crown Court 2018) involving cross-examination of all thirteen vulnerable witnesses on behalf of all eighteen defendants. A number of these vulnerable witnesses required an initial Ground Rules hearing and/ or the services of an intermediary
SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIME
Michael’s ability to consider vast volumes of paperwork /digital material and assess that which is relevant to the client’s case has served him particularly well in large-scale organised crime and fraud matters. Recent serious organised crime cases:- R v Nguyen et al (Bristol Crown Court October- December 2023) instructed by Wessex CCU successful prosecution of a multi- million pound organised crime importation of drugs; R v Shaw (November 2022- July 2023) nine month trial representing a financial adviser accused of involvement in a "Ponzi" type financial services scheme; R v Malochleb et al instructed by the Serious Economic Organised Crime and International Directorate of the CPS(Southwark Crown Court, main trial January-March 2022 , May-June 2022, September 2022, ongoing trials in 2023) successful prosecution of large scale cigarette importation using evidence from outside the jurisdiction: R v Moore et al (June 2021 - October 2021 main trial, and several sub trials into 2022 ) ten-handed conspiracy to possess firearms and large scale supply of drugs - complications arose from Covid19 restrictions during and affecting the running of the trial: R v Rothero et al (October 2019) successful prosecution in a multi-handed trial - defendants charged with robbery of exclusive homes and commercial premises using firearms and knives. ) and successful defence of an accountant accused of a large-scale GBP 5 million HMRC gateway tax website fraud R v Hough (Middlesbrough Crown Court Sept – Nov 2017).
Recent instructions include; - R v Frow et multi- handed murder prosecution (2024 )R v Wade (Jan – April 2025 ) representation of a client involved in a large-scale money laundering conspiracy; R v Hardy and Knowles ( 2025) multi-handed prosecution of a nationwide supplier of firearms by an organised crime gang; R v Ashirie( 2025) representation of an 18-year-old inmate jointly charged with the murder of another inmate at HMP Fosse Way and R v Sykes ( 2025) prosecution of a man accused of murdering his father.
PRIVATE WORK
Michael takes on a variety of private work including rape, sexual assault, assault, driving offences and is regularly instructed by solicitor’s firms nationwide. Clients have recognised the potential advantage of instructing a highly experienced criminal Silk on a private basis for a variety of offences.
Recent successes include: R v W (2023) acquittal of a student accused of rape by a fellow student at Nottingham University in the halls of residence ; Rv K (2024) a private client accused of wounding with intent by use of a knife- prosecution persuaded on the first day of trial not to proceed with the case against the defendant due to lack of evidence R v F (2024) a successful representation of a middle – aged man accused of sexual assault of his adult daughter’s friend whilst staying over at his house .
Recent/current/private instructions include :- R v MP (trial 2024) representation of a male accused of disclosing private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress; R v HM (trial 2024) representation of a man accused of causing serious injury by dangerous driving; R v MS (trial 2025) representation of a disabled massage therapist accused of sexual assault by one of his clients
Michael is also Direct Access accredited.
PUBLICATIONS
DPP guidelines for the Prosecution of Organised and Gang Crime;
Lecturer in Cayman Islands at an International Financial Crime and Regulatory Compliance Seminar;
Advocacy trainer beyond UK jurisdiction.
Gray’s Inn, Midlands Circuit, Criminal Bar Association