187 Chambers

A substantial and continually growing practice featuring prosecution and defence of serious crime of all types. Regularly leads or appears alone in cases of gang rape, serial rape, internet pornography and child rape/abuse. These are all areas of particular experience and expertise. Equally regularly, appears for prosecution and defence, in cases involving allegations of fraud, firearms, serious violence and importation/supply of drugs. A meticulous, astute, and articulate advocate of very considerable experience. Is able rapidly to analyse a case and identify the key facts and issues of law affecting both sides. Currently advising and appearing pro bono in a number of appeals and potential appeals, and expecting to continue to do so. Some notable 21st century cases: leading for prosecution in trial involving firearms, including one of only three TEC-9 machine guns ever recovered in the UK (A TEC-9 can fire 600 rounds of 9mm ammunition in one minute); leading for prosecution in trial of leader of gang of rapists, successfully argued for introduction of evidence of previous rape acquittal and previous untried rape allegation, leading to a 14 and half year sentence; leading for prosecution in case involving trafficking from Romania, forced prostitution, frequent rape of two victims, and the systematic laundering of the cash proceeds of prostitution, leading to a 21 year sentence; leading for defence in Trading Standards ‘time share’ fraud in which all defendants were acquitted; defending what was believed to be the oldest ever case of alleged child abuse in which the time between alleged offence and trial was between 41 and 46 years (case withdrawn from the jury at the conclusion of the prosecution case); defending in money laundering case involving £315,000 in accumulated legitimate cash earnings concealed from tax authorities; acquittal on POCA offences followed legal argument, and grounds of appeal against sentence for cheating the revenue established the principle that compensation orders should not be used as a substitute for confiscation, especially where the loser is an entity with its own remedies; prosecuting one of the first cases of sex offending abroad, in which a UK national had filmed himself raping small girls, some of whom could not be identified (life sentence was imposed following a guilty plea); leading for prosecution in case of a violent serial rapist who attacked four different women on the street late at night (life sentence imposed following conviction on all counts). Appeared for the defence in £20m MTIC fraud – Operation Vaulter, (Trial 1) representing the only defendant who was not convicted; Led for the defence in £4m benefit / immigration fraud; Appeared for the defence in Operation Mirato, part of the Dale Cregan murder indictment tried in Preston. Prosecuted major internet pornography case against a serial paedophile in a case involving complicated expert evidence.

Qualified 1974; Middle Temple.

Harold Hill Grammar School; London School of Economics (1973 LLB).