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James is an advocate who distills complex and overlapping evidence into an easy-to-digest narrative. His grasp of strategy allows him to focus on the most important points, and make them with force.
He has developed a busy practice prosecuting for the CPS Complex Casework Units, as well as taking on Defence work of increasing seriousness. He brings this experience to Regulatory cases, from cases pre-charge through to sentence.
Of particular interest are cases involving abuse of trust and serious violence. James has developed skill in putting traumatised witnesses – including defendants – at ease so as to get their evidence across more powerfully.
James defends cases in the Courts Martial, covering a range of offences from desertion to ill-treating subordinates. He has appeared in Bulford, Catterick, Colchester, and Portsmouth Military Court Centres (when the latter two were operational) as well as the Court Martial Appeal Court.
Key areas of expertise:
Murder & Complex Crime
General Crime
Regulatory
Court Martial
General Crime Level 4
Serious Crime Level 3
Fraud Level 2
Counter Terrorism Level 3
Regulatory
Regulatory Crime List B (Environment Agency, HSE, CQC, ORR, ONR)
Key cases & testimonials
R v Jones 2024
Prosecuted a police officer with over 13 years’ service. His career came to an end when he started a sexual relationship with a woman he had recently arrested for drink driving: he started texting her before he had even finished his witness statement. The investigation revealed two other women he had pursed, they had been victims of domestic abuse. With one he had a sexual relationship, including coming to her house for sex whilst he was on duty. Convicted after trial.
R v Price 2024
Prosecuted a man who went to ex-wife’s house in the middle of the night, saw a car parked outside so broke in. He armed himself with a kitchen knife and went to her bedroom on the top floor. There he found another man in what had been his bed so stabbed him deep into the side. He also injured his ex-wife when she tried to stop the attack. Convicted of s18 and s20.
R v L 2022
Defended a Corporal in the RMP who had allegedly assaulted a colleague, putting his head through a first aid box in the service police station. Established self-defence: acquitted by the Board and the client was able to return to his unit.
James is a tenacious and confident advocate. He has an eye for detail and a forensic approach to preparation for his cases.Legal 500, 2025
Areas of expertise
R v Singh and others 2024
Prosecuted (led by Simon Denison KC) the broad daylight murder of DPD delivery driver during his rounds in Shrewsbury by a group who ambushed him. Cross examined one of the group who used a weapon on the already-wounded victim, and the getaway driver. Four convicted of murder, with the “inside man” at DPD convicted of manslaughter.
R v Hussain 2023
Prosecuted (led by James Curtis KC) the drive-by shooting of a man on his driveway. The organiser was convicted of manslaughter, others previously having been convicted of murder.
R v Demiraj and others 2023
Prosecuted five defendants for conspiracy to blackmail and kidnap, leading Sebastian Walker in Reading Crown Court. Successfully applied to introduce the video interview and witness statements of the three complainants as hearsay, over the course of a week’s legal argument. Convictions after trial.
R v P 2022
Prosecuted (led by Sarah Gaunt) the fatal stabbing of a teenager in Milton Keynes by another teenager. Cross examined the defence expert psychologist to undermine her working method and conclusions as to the defendant’s heightened perception of threat. Convicted of murder.
R v Faria 2024
Defended a man who pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to fly drugs, phones and tobacco into prisons. He had an advanced drone workshop in his garden, complete with home made delivery mechanisms that could drop packages remotely. Drops were arranged on snapchat. The police tried to attribute every drone incursion in the whole region to him, but the judge found after hearing evidence that it was limited to two prisons only.
R v S 2024
Defended a man who worked in a boys home with a twinned girls home for children in care. It was alleged he had sexually assaulted one of the girls after trying to groom her with attention and favours. Analysis of over 300 pages of care records showed there was no complaint of his behaviour and nothing to support him singling her out to go on trips. Acquitted by the jury.
R v Salgado-Tuzon and another 2023
Prosecuted two individuals who used fire extinguishers to spray-paint the side of the Department of Transport in protest against HS2. After thorough cross-examination of the defendants, the Judge withdrew from the jury as a matter of law all the defences initially advanced. Both defendants were convicted by the jury.
R v Cohen and others 2023
Led by Diana Wilson in Southwark Crown Court, prosecuted the group of Extinction Rebellion protestors who caused over £100,000 of damage to Barclays in Canary Wharf. Some of the defendants dispensed with their legal representatives the week before the trial. All seven defendants were convicted by the jury.
R v AT 2022
Represented the Respondent in the Court of Appeal on an appeal against sentence, against an Appellant represented by Queen’s Counsel. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence of 5 years with a 3 year extended licence for a “chilling” stabbing that caused grave injuries to a teenager committed by a 14 year old who had a fascination with knives.
R v Moscrop 2020
Defended a driver who injured his friend whilst driving on the M4 near Reading. Was able to show the friend’s description of dangerous driving was from a point well before the accident and that there had been no concerns in the half an hour before the crash. Acquitted of causing serious injury by dangerous driving
R (Lancaster City Council) v Phantom Motors 2024
Prosecuted a company for using HGV trailers to advertise alongside the M6 motorway. Fines imposed after guilty pleas.
R (Environment Agency) v Charles 2023
Prosecuted a man who removed asbestos from homes and abandoned the waste in a self storage facility and on other land. Suspended sentence imposed after guilty plea.
R (Lancaster City Council) v B. Davies & Sons [2019] EWCA Crim 1624
Prosecuted a food processing company for taking pet-food-grade meat and relabelling it as fit for human consumption. The company pleaded guilty after losing a legal argument before the trial judge.
The company challenged their sentence in the Court of Appeal, where James continued to represent the local authority. The sentence was upheld, with their Lordships expressing their thanks for his assistance.
R (Lancaster City Council) v Ellison 2016
Prosecuted what The Times referred to as the only breach of Smoke Control Zones rules in the preceding five years (as at 2016). Secured conviction by demonstrating in cross-examination that the defence “expert” was in fact a friend of the defendant.
R v A and others 2024
Mitigated for the leader of a conspiracy who had been dealing class A drugs to other service personnel in 5 Rifles. Was able to advance submissions that brought the sentence down to 4 years imprisonment.
R v L 2022
Defended a Corporal in the RMP who had allegedly assaulted a colleague, putting his head through a first aid box in the service police station. Established self defence: acquitted by the Board and the client was able to return to his unit.
R v S 2016
Defended a Marine who was involved in supervising a high-profile “joining run”. New joiners at 45 Commando were put through an initiation ceremony which included being forced to eat dog food. The case was reported in the national press at the time, James’ client having pleaded guilty to mistreating subordinates.