Martin Evans

Martin’s practice involves all aspects of the law relating to asset recovery, money laundering and confiscation. He is experienced in handling the most complex restraint, receivership, forfeiture and civil recovery proceedings. With cases straddling criminal and civil jurisdictions, Martin acts for clients in the Crown Court, the High Court (King’s Bench & Chancery Divisions and the Administrative Court) as well as the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

He has a strong appellate practice; in the last few years he has been instructed in numerous cases before the Court of Appeal in which he did not appear in the lower court.  In the last two years he has been instructed two appeals in the Supreme Court: in the landmark case of CPS v Aquila Advisory Ltd (for the Respondent) and in Andrewes for the Appellant (the CPS).

Martin has been a contributing editor of ‘Archbold’ since 2006 and has responsibility for the chapters on confiscation and money laundering offences. He is co-author of ‘Corporate Criminal Liability’ (described as “scholarly and comprehensive” by Lord Hoffmann), the fourth edition of which was published in April 2021.

He has delivered training on money laundering for the Bar Council; devised materials for a training program for the judiciary on restraint and receivership under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and provided training to the Metropolitan Police on investigative powers. He regularly lectures on asset recovery and related topics both in the UK and abroad.

Notable recent case include: R v Wood (Niki) [2023] 1 WLR 156; R v Briedis [2023] 1 Cr App R 18, [2022] EWHC 3431 (Admin);  Chief Constable of Merseyside v Bennett [2023] 1 Cr App R 10; NCA v Petrosaudi Oil Services (Venezuela) Ltd [2022] EWHC 920 (Admin); R v Andrewes [2022] UKSC 24; Crown Prosecution Service v Aquila Advisory Ltd [2021] 1 WLR 5666; R v Asplin [2021] EWCA Crim 1313; PDVSA Servicios SA v Clyde & Co LLP [2020] Lloyd's Rep. F.C. 580; [2020] EWHC 2322 (Ch); R v Reynolds (Nicholas) [2020] 1 Cr App R 20;  R(on the application of A, B & C) v Southwark Crown Court [2019] EWHC 3742 (Admin); GW v SFO [2018] EWCA Crim 1155, R(on the application of River East Supplies Limited) v Nottingham Crown Court [2017] (Admin), R(Rahman) v Local Government Election Court [2017] EWHC 1413 (Admin)