Diana Wilson

Diana spent several years working internationally prosecuting and investigating large multi-jurisdictional organised crime cases including overseeing lengthy investigations against high profile government figures and overseeing covert measures.

She has also been the supervising prosecutor for several JITs including relating to organised people smuggling.

She further worked at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon on the Hariri terrorism case.

In 2017 she returned to the UK and applied this experience to her UK organised crime and terrorism cases.

Organised Crime Cases

R v A 2024
Prosecution of a Defendant who pleaded guilty on day 3 of trial to offences under the Computer Misuse Act involving the use of sophisticated malware to launch distributed denial of service attacks and Blackmail (using bitcoin).

R v D 2023
Prosecution counsel instructed by the CPS Organised Crime Unit where the defendant posed online as model scout to blackmail girls as young as nine into committing sexual acts.   He pleaded guilty to 50 counts relating to 28 separate victims.
Evening Standard coverage
Independent
Read more on CPS

R v H-S 2022
Leading junior in Encrochat case involving conspiracy to supply several 100kg of cocaine, conspiracy to supply cannabis and money-laundering.

R v H and 5 others 2022
Leading Junior, prosecuting 6 Defendants in a money laundering case valued at over £100 million, involving 13 counsel and two separate conspiracies. Count 1 was an Encrochat conspiracy with international elements and Count 2 was more domestic, conducted over different encrypted communications systems with a haulage business being used to direct the conspiracy. The case involved encrochat evidence, cell site experts, money laundering experts and surveillance evidence and numerous complex legal arguments. The trial lasted 8 week following which the jury convicted all 6 Defendants of all counts.
CPS coverage
The Express coverage
Stoke Sentinel coverage

R v B and S 2020-21
Prosecuted an ‘encrochat’ case relating to conspiracy to supply class A at a high level. The quantity of cocaine discussed included an 100kg importation.

R v V 2021
Instructed in a 4-defendant conspiracy to supply Class A prosecution. Defendants those categorised as leading role at the sentence hearing.

R v E 2020
Prosecution counsel instructed in a conspiracy to supply 47.5kg of heroin case which at the time had a street value in excess of £10 million. This conspiracy occurred in 2013, when the co-defendants were tried, however this defendant’s trial was delayed as he absconded and had to be extradited back to the UK. The defendant was convicted following trial.

R v S and Others
Instructed to prosecute a four handed conspiracy to supply class A drugs case. All four defendants pleaded guilty prior to trial and the sentencing judge commended Diana on her diligence and attention to detail. Also instructed on the subsequent confiscation proceedings.

R v C and Others
Instructed as a led junior in a multi-handed conspiracy to handle stolen goods spanning a 15 month period involving over half a million pounds worth of goods. Guildford Crown Court.

R v L and Others
Instructed as lead junior to prosecute a multi-handed armed robbery case. This comprised of 12 robberies perpetrated by a sophisticated armed gang over a 12 month period. Kingston Crown Court.

R v B
Instructed as sole advocate to prosecute B who was part of a gang which committed 4 armed and organised robberies of high-end jewellers. The case was defended by an experienced QC and junior.

International cases

R v S and Others
Advised and oversaw investigation in to a multi-million-pound land fraud, subjects included high profile political figures.

R v P and Others
Advised in relation to a multi-million-pound government corruption investigation.

Organised Crime and People Smuggling, 2013
Prosecution advocate in successful prosecution against two defendants for smuggling people from Kosovo to Italy via Albania.

PII and RIPA
Diana has experience of advising on RIPA and sensitive material. She also has experience of conducting PII application.

R v M and others 2023
Instructed as junior counsel to a silk in relation to four complex gang related conspiracies to murder case. Case heard at the Central Criminal Court. Diana provided early advice including in relation to expert telephone, drill, and gangs’ evidence. She successfully resisted an application to dismiss prior to the silk being instructed. Conducted sentence hearing for main defendant alone.

R v M 2023
Instructed as sole prosecution counsel in an attempted murder trial at the Central Criminal Court. The defendant was part of a 7 man ride out which ended with a 16-year-old being stabbed by the defendant and another male. The trial included evidence from two experts in relation to gang evidence and drill lyrics. The defendant was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to a 32 years imprisonment.
Evening Standard news coverage
Metro news coverage

R v C and others 2023
Instructed for the prosecution as junior counsel led by a silk in relation to a five-defendant county-lines related murder trial. The case involved complex DNA, glass refraction, footprint and gangs/county-lines expert evidence.

R v R 2019
Prosecution of the front seat passenger in a causing death by dangerous driving case.

R v W 2019
Attempted murder case. Following an argument in a public house the defendant deliberately drove into the victim. W was convicted following trial of s18 and sentenced to 9 and a half years. Kingston Crown Court.

R v E and Others 2018
Leading junior prosecuting an 8-defendant case of attempted murder and wounding with intent in two knife attacks in East London. The defendants were aged 14-16. Diana dealt with various complex legal arguments during the trial. The case was additionally complicated by the ages of the defendants all of whom were convicted.
News story here.

R v W
Junior counsel led by a silk in a murder. Trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.

R v M (ongoing)
Prosecution counsel in a s17 case.

R v K (ongoing)
Prosecution counsel in a s12(1A) case.

R v O 2023
Diana was instructed by CPS Counter-Terrorism to prosecute a man who sent nine parcels to nine separate police stations containing a white powder resulting in full chemical and biological hazard responses.  Resolved by a guilty plea.

R v M 2022
Prosecution counsel in a case where the defendant was convicted of dissemination of a terrorist publication contrary to s2 of the Terrorism Act 2006. News Coverage: Mail Online, Independent, Guardian and Evening Standard

R v R 2022
Prosecution counsel in a case instructed by CPS Counter-Terrorism division where a youth pleaded guilty to possession of 7 documents likely to be useful to someone preparing for an act of Terrorism contrary to s58 of the Terrorism Act 2000, four charges contrary to s19 and s21 of the Public Order Act 1986 of distributing material intending to stir up racial hatred and one communications act offence relating to be grossly offensive transphobic tweet. News coverage: BBC and Liverpool Echo

R v N 2019
Prosecution counsel in a case where the defendant N was convicted of fund raising contrary to s15(3) of the Terrorism Act 2000. W had previously pleaded guilty and N was convicted following a two-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court. The case relates to N sending money to an organisation calling itself ‘the merciful hands’ knowing or suspecting it would or may be used for the purposes of terrorism. The case involved Diana reviewing significant volumes of electronic material. The defence raised a number of legal arguments which required the court to review and consider the complex law related to these offences.
News stories:BBC, Independent, Daily Mail

R v D 2019
Prosecution counsel in a case where the defendant pleaded guilty on a basis to offences contrary to s1 of the Terrorism Act 2006. Successful conducted the 4-day Newton hearing in relation to intent/recklessness where the full evidence that would have been presented at trial was heard. The defendant was a national of Cameroon who engaged in encouraging an act of terrorism online. The case included the consideration of expert evidence in relation to the complex political situation in Cameroon.

R v P 2018
Prosecution counsel in case where the defendant pleaded guilty to a 15 count indictment, including soliciting to murder and bomb hoax counts. Full story here. At the sentence two psychiatrists were called and cross- examined in order to assist the court determine the correct diagnosis and type of sentence (s45A or s37/41).
News coverage: Independent, Daily Mail

R v M 2018
Prosecution counsel, in a case prosecuted under the terrorism protocol, but resulting in a plea to a lesser offence on the day of trial and a sentence under s37 of the MHA with a s41 restriction.

A 2011-2013
Trial counsel on the prosecution team from 2011-2013 in the international terrorism case relating to the assassination of the former prime minister of Lebanon Rafik HARIRI on 14 February 2005. Worked almost exclusively on the communications evidence, including working with top internationally recognised computer, telecommunications and other technical experts.

Legal advisor to several large-scale internal fraud/regulatory investigations.

R v H and 5 others 2022
Leading Junior, prosecuting 6 Defendants in a money laundering case valued at over £100 million, involving 13 counsel and two separate conspiracies. Count 1 was an Encrochat conspiracy with international elements and Count 2 was more domestic, conducted over different encrypted communications systems with a haulage business being used to direct the conspiracy. The case involved encrochat evidence, cell site experts, money laundering experts and surveillance evidence and numerous complex legal arguments. The trial lasted 8 week following which the jury convicted all 6 Defendants of all counts.
CPS coverage
The Express coverage
Stoke Sentinel coverage

R v T and B 2019
Successful prosecution of two defendants for 10 counts of fraud in breach of position of trust.

R v H 2019
Successful prosecution of a man charged under POCA in relation to £300,000 worth of multiple currencies seized from his person and MSB.

R v W and Others
Instructed as a led junior to defend a man charged with conspiracy to commit a breach of immigration law and money laundering. The evidence was around 20,000 pages. The indictment spanned a 4 year period, the investigation covered a 10 year period. Isleworth Crown Court.

R v G
Defended a lady accused of running multiple brothels and living off immoral earnings. Basildon Crown Court.

R v R
Successful prosecution of a man who defrauded a company of several hundred thousand pounds.

International cases

R v S and Others
Advised and oversaw investigation in to a multi-million-pound land fraud, subjects included high profile political figures.

R v P and Others

Advised in relation to a multi-million-pound government corruption investigation.

Internal Investigations

Legal advisor to several large-scale internal fraud/regulatory investigations.

Diana prosecutes and defends (including privately) the full range of offences.

R v H and others 2023
Leading Junior prosecution counsel in a 12-defendant protest trial lasting 4 weeks.

R v B 2023
Defence counsel in a case at Southwark Crown Court.  After Diana’s successful s78 application the Crown offered no evidence on all charges.

R v T 2023
Defence counsel for D1 in a five-defendant kidnap case involving thousands of pages of served evidence including telephone evidence.  Prosecution offered no evidence.

R v J 2023
Defence counsel at PTPH for a young man accused of a weapons offence.  Following Diana’s submissions on a technical legal point the Crown offered no evidence.

R v E 2022
Prosecution counsel in an agreed not guilty by reason of insanity trial where the defendant, a qualified solicitor, contaminated goods in three supermarkets by injecting them with his own blood causing a financial loss of about £500,000. The defendant was also found to have assaulted two persons one of them by throwing a syringe containing his own blood at them.
News coverage: Daily Mail, Legal Futures, Mirror

R v W and others 2022
Leading Junior in ‘Barclays’ protest case. Case involved complex legal arguments relating to protest specific defences. See more here.

R v I and others 2022
Prosecution counsel in a case where five defendants were convicted of conspiracy to commit GBH, attempted GBH, violent disorder and some were convicted of having offensive weapons. This was an honour related attack on two male victims with extensive disclosure considerations. This case involved sensitive witness handling, CCTV, telephone evidence and Diana cross-examining two defence expert witnesses whose expert reports were only served part way through the trial.

R v J-N 2021
Successful defence of a two-week s18 drug related life-threatening stabbing where Diana defended a very vulnerable young man (18 at the time of the offence, with various challenges including substantial learning difficulties), who did not give evidence. Her cross-examination of the complainant was described by the judge as ‘very effective’ and eventually resulted in the Crown stating in their closing speech that they accepted that their main witness was so undermined by cross-examination that he was not reliable and arguing (unsuccessfully) to secure a conviction based on the other evidence. She was able to do so successfully due to her securing substantial important disclosure (as is her trademark when defending) and utilising it in obtaining admissions in relation to various matters including police intelligence. Diana’s solicitors in this case described her as ‘first rate’ and ‘very impressive’. She took care and time to carefully explain the process and what was happening in court and break it down for the client whilst making sure each decision was genuinely his and that he was able to make informed decisions.

R v B 2020
Leading junior counsel for the prosecution in ‘Brazilian Embassy case’ which involved legal arguments re Articles 9, 10 and 11 ECHR. Following the legal arguments, the judge ruled that three defendants had no defence in law and they were convicted by the jury.

R v S 2020
Diana was instructed to defend Ms S who was charged with an offence contrary to s127 of the Communications Act 2003. This case involved complex technical, interpretive and Article 10 ECHR arguments. Ms S was convicted at first instance, however her conviction was quashed by the Divisional Court, where Diana represented Ms S instructed by Paul Benson of McLartys solicitors. The reasoned judgment can be found here.
Click here for news article.

R v R 2019
Prosecution of the front seat passenger in a causing death by dangerous driving case.

R v P
Firearms case.

R v S and Others 2018
Leading junior prosecuting an 8-week, 8 defendant conspiracy to kidnap and wounding with intent (s18) trial. Sentences ranged up to 13 years.

R v M and Others 2018
Prosecution counsel in a trail of four defendants charged with aggravated burglary and blackmail. One youth defendant was aided by an intermediary throughout the trial. Case involved extensive telephone evidence.

R v H and Others 2018
Successful prosecution of three youths for offences including wounding with intent following the stabbing of a 14-year-old in a park causing his lung to collapse. The case involved young witnesses who had been through significant trauma.

R v D 2023
Prosecution counsel instructed by the CPS Organised Crime Unit where the defendant posed online as model scout to blackmail girls as young as nine into committing sexual acts.   He pleaded guilty to 50 counts relating to 28 separate victims.
Evening Standard coverage
Independent
Read more on CPS

R v W (pending)
Instructed to defend a man accused of historical multigenerational sexual abuse against 5 individual complainants dating from the 1960s.

R v D (2023)
Defence counsel in a case alleging multiple incidents of buggery of a child and indecent assault, between 1979 and 1989. The jury retired for less than one and a half hours before returning their unanimous not guilty verdicts at the end of a two week trial at Southwark Crown Court. This was a complex case where seven defence witnesses of fact were called, including two alibi witnesses, whose recollections were failing. Diana prepared thoroughly in advance of trial and was able to secure a significant number of defence agreed facts prior to the trial commencing which significantly assisted the cross-examination of the three principle prosecution witnesses and enabled Diana to assist the defence witnesses with dates and documents during their evidence.

R v M (2022)
Prosecution of historic rape/sexual abuse of children/IIOC case relating to three complainants and six victims over a 23-year period. The children involved were aged between 7-15 at the time of the abuse. The case was complicated by the youth of the victims, including one victim was still a youth at the time of trial (s28 case).
Press link here.

R v P 2021
Historic rape of a child under 13 trial, offences occurred over a six year period.

R v W 2021
Instructed to defend a man charged with raping his daughter when she was aged 7 to 9 years old.

R v A 2021
Prosecution counsel in case where D pleaded guilty at the s28 hearing to multiple rapes of a child under 13 re a 7-year-old victim (who was aged 8 on day of s28 hearing).

R v V 2021
Diana successfully prosecuted a case involving sexual abuse of two sisters one of whom was under 13 at the time of the abuse.

R v P 2019
Defence counsel in a ‘paedophile hunter’ case. Following a successful s8 application and representations to the Crown the CPS offered no evidence on all charges.

R v M 2018
Prosecution counsel, IIOC including distribution. Included advising on detailed technical aspects of the case.

R v J 2018
Instructed to defend a man charged with Rape. Crown offered no evidence following the further disclosure which flowed from Diana’s successful s8 application.

R v C 2018
Diana was instructed to defend a man charged with IIOC and breach of a SHPO (imposed following a prior conviction for IIOC). Despite the defendant giving evidence in relation to ‘paedophile rights’, Diana secured an acquittal on the breach of a SHPO count. The defence involved detailed technical cross examination of the Crown’s expert witness.

R v G 2017
Successful defence at trial of a man charged with false imprisonment, threats to kill and sexual assault.

Diana has spent a number of years abroad working on war crimes, crimes against humanity, international organised crime and terrorism cases. She is a recognised international expert especially in relation to war crimes, sexual violence and counter-terrorism.

Currently

Diana is on the rosters for Justice Rapid Response and the UK Stabilisation Unit and her work includes providing training and advice.

SITF/SPO 2015-2017
Worked as a Prosecutor on the issues arising out of the Council of Europe report written by Dick Marty. The SPO has jurisdiction to prosecute War Crimes, crimes against humanity and certain Kosovo domestic crimes.

Prosecutor v Ayyash 2011-2013
Trial counsel on the prosecution team from 2011-2013 in the international terrorism case relating to the assassination of HARIRI on 14 February 2005. Worked almost exclusively on the communications evidence, including working with top internationally recognised computer, telecommunications and other technical experts.

Prosecutor v H, Q, H and S 2014
Kosovo prosecution counsel in the prosecution of four defendants including a government minister for war crimes. The case related to charges of violence and sexual violence using command responsibility and direct perpetration as modes of liability.

R V D and B, Kosovo 2014
One of two prosecution advocates in the prosecution of the 2nd ever rape as a war crime trial in the Kosovo national courts.

Organised Crime and People Smuggling 2013
Prosecution advocate in case against two defendants for smuggling people from Kosovo to Italy via Albania.

Investigations 2013-2014
Prosecutor in charge of a number of sensitive investigations including in relation to large scale government corruption, organised crime and war crime cases. This included liaising with agencies outside of Kosovo.

Kosovo 2010-2011
Legal Officer working with the Judges unit on war crime, organised crime (including aggravated murder) and ethnically sensitive case

Diana is an ex-military prosecutor who now defends at Courts-Martial. Her work has included:

R v B 2019

Successful submission of no case to answer defending a soldier in an 8-defendant affray case.

R v T 2018

Successful defence of a soldier accused of serious domestic violence allegations. Following several listings to ensure disclosure and one non-effective listing for trial the prosecution offered no evidence.

R v H 2018

Successful defence of a soldier charged with multiple offences of violence.

R v S 2018

Defence of a soldier who, whilst on operations, was accused of multiple of offences of violence, and assaulting a service police officer. Following a partial acquittal and some guilty pleas the soldier, unusually, received a sentence which enabled him to continue serving.

RAFPAA/SPA 2008-2009

Whilst a serving legal officer at RAFPA/SPA Diana conducted multiple courts martial, as the prosecutor including:

Successfully prosecuting a permanent staff member for assault by penetration of a cadet, after he broke into the female part of a training accommodation block.

Successfully prosecuting a SNCO for assault by penetration by breaking into his subordinates’ room and assaulting her as she slept,

Prosecuting an OC for perjury,
Prosecuting 4 service personnel on allegations of ‘redeyeing’,
Prosecuting multiple violence offences including multi-defendant cases and s18 charges.
Prosecuting JPA frauds,
Prosecuting the full range of service offences including dissertation, AWOL and breach of standing orders, Advising in relation to IIOC cases, and providing training to service police,
Advising in relation to allegations arising on operations.
Diana also worked at Air Command and RAF Coningsby where her work included:

assisting DLS in relation to advising in relation to the RAF response to the Haddon Cave enquiry, being the legal advisor to boards of enquiry,
advising in relation to disciplinary/administrative action,
being the legal advisor to internal investigations,

advising the chain of command.