187 Chambers

David Lyons was called to the Bar by Middle Temple in 1987. He is a specialist criminal barrister. His practice covers the entire range of courts, alone and as a led and leading junior. He appears in all types of criminal cases but has particular expertise in cases involving; serious sexual offences (including historic rape allegations), computer crime including; hacking, grooming and indecent image cases, duty and VAT evasion, death by careless and dangerous driving, MCA prosecutions and non-insane automatism caused by prescription drugs particularly the SSRI’s (Prozac etc) in cases of serious violence. He appears in Courts Martial both in the UK and overseas, he has recently acted for Special Forces troops involved in a case with a national security dimension. He acts for the Appellants in appeals against the refusal and/or revocation of shotgun and firearms certificates. In addition to his work in London and the South-East he has an extensive practice in the West Country and is happy to travel to any part of the UK for the right case. David Lyons also provides advice on appeal against sentence and conviction in cases where he did not appear in the original trial including historical cases. Cases: R v Sirignano [1997] EWCA Crim 2824; R v Owen & Anor [1998] EWCA Crim 3142; R v Owens & Stevens [1999] 2 Cr.A.R. 59; R v John Smith [1999] EWCA Crim 1906; R v John James [2000] EWCA Crim 64; R v Santiago [2005] EWCA Crim 556; R v Johnson [2010] 2 Cr.App.R.(S.) 154; R v B Neutral Citation Number: [2012] EWCA Crim 1433; R v Kane [2013] EWCA Crim 148 (Trial Counsel and junior for the appeal). Cases: R v R Operation Barlow I where he acted for the alleged ringleader and one other in the (then) largest ever VAT / duty evasion prosecuted by Customs at over £300m, both were acquitted; R v R Operation Barlow II, follow on from Barlow I, this time a mere £7.5m; R v B- £5m ‘long-firm’ fraud in the carpet trade; R v D – Juvenile alleged to have killed two motorists by moving a road sign, case dismissed at the close of the prosecution case; R v S – Ex post facto appeal based on the effects of Prozac on a teacher of good character charged with attempting to murder his neighbour, sentence reduced to allow for immediate release; R v O – Attempted murder/robbery case appeal based on juror who repeatedly used her telephone while in the jury box at the Old Bailey; R v A – Court martial of Special Forces troops with national security dimension; R v G – Unreported, at least in the law reports, he acted for a Bank manager who stole over two million pounds and spent it on Parrots! See The Independent (London), Sep 3, 2003.

He is a keen sailor and photographer.