Ian Foinette

Ian exclusively practises in criminal law.

Ian has been a member of chambers since 1987, having been taken on after completing his pupillage in chambers. He came late to the Bar, having spent a few years in merchant and industrial banking, during which a secondment to the bank’s legal department, led him to his legal career.

Ian has developed a practice in criminal law, prosecuting and defending in all types of cases. He has appeared for the Crown in numerous prosecutions for what was H.M. Customs and Excise (HMCE), now H.M. Revenue and Customs (HMRC), in smuggling cases, VAT frauds and money-laundering cases.  Ian is also regularly instructed by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in cases involving violence, including murder (led), dishonesty, firearms and drugs.  Ian prosecuted a theft case at Maidstone Crown Court in front of Judge Statman, which has widely reported in the press, and known as the £3 sausage roll theft case.

Ian has defended in murder (led), rape and other serious sexual allegations cases.  Ian is also regularly instructed in drugs and tobacco smuggling cases, firearms cases, drugs supply and production cases and almost every variation of allegations of dishonesty, including those relating to the theft of domestic comestibles.

Ian attended the University of Kent at Canterbury and graduated with a B.A. (Hons.) in law, in 1979.