R v Dodd & others (2018 Northampton)

Murder. Prosecuting (leading) 7 young Defendants for their involvement in the fatal stabbing (revenge) of another youth during a street fight. After the attack, some Defendants disposed of weapons and clothing; another tried to improperly influence witnesses (Perverting the Course of Justice). Many Prosecution eyewitnesses were young and vulnerable and were friends of the Defendants, the Deceased or both. After 13 week trial, securing conviction for Murder and convictions for Manslaughter.

R v Gamble (2018 Leicester)

Cybercrime. Instructed by CPS International Justice & Organised Crime Division. Prosecuting (leading) Defendant (15/16 years old at the time) for hacking (‘social engineering’) into computers and communication accounts of Director of CIA, Deputy Director OF FBI, Secretary of Homeland Security and other high-ranking US government and intelligence officials. Defendant was founding member of online collective “Crackas with Attitude”. He also gained unauthorised access to US Department of Justice and law enforcement networks. Prosecuted for 11 offences contrary to s.1 & s.3 Computer Misuse Act 1990. Guilty pleas – sentenced by High Court Judge – 2 years detention (maximum permitted because of age).

R v Alan Yeomans (2018 Derby)

Confiscation/money laundering. Defending (leading). Instructed in confiscation proceedings by Sonn MacMillan Walker (London) after the previous Solicitors went into administration and previous Counsel sacked. The case attracted some notoriety as Mr Yeomans was alleged to have disguised a substantial luxury mansion as a farm shed. Insolvency Service claimed a benefit and available amount figure of £8m. After complex proceedings, £650,000 was eventually agreed as being available with no ‘hidden assets’ being pursued.

R v Hayer & others (2017 Leicester/Nottingham)

False Imprisonment, Manslaughter and Perverting the Course of Justice.

(OP Dynasty). CPS East Midlands Complex Casework Unit. Successfully prosecuted (leading) three defendants for The Defendants had been the targets of a black money scam. The Deceased was involved in the fraud. The Defendants held him hostage at a factory in Leicester while the black money ‘deal’ was being completed in London. When the Defendants realised they had been tricked, they assaulted the Deceased - he subsequently died as a result of mechanical asphyxiation. They then moved his body and disposed of his phone and the CCTV system from the factory. Defendants were convicted after trial and re-trial (7 weeks) before High Court Judges.

R v Dwayne Johnson (2017 Nottingham)

Murder. Successfully prosecuting (leading) Defendant for stabbing host at party following an argument. Defendant blaming the Deceased for pulling the knife and attacking him first.

R v Weeks & Thorpe (2017 Warwick)

Murder. Prosecuting (leading) two Defendants for bludgeoning to death a friend with a spanner and a hammer following a disagreement. Cut-throat defences. Both convicted after 6 week trial.

R v Wadforth (2016 Northampton)

Money Laundering. Defending (private) husband and wife (good character) accused of laundering proceeds of main Defendant’s drug trafficking by buying caravan in alleged ‘sham sale’. By commissioning expert examination of husband’s computer, able to prove that he had been, long prior to the offence, actively looking to legitimately buy a similar property. Persuading Crown to offer no evidence.

R v Russell (2016 Northampton)

Attempted Murder. Defending (leading - at trial and re-trial) young autistic Defendant (Aspergers Syndrome) accused of kidnapping and attempting to murder American girlfriend. Couple had met online using false identities – she then travelled to the UK to visit the Defendant. He took her to a wood, blindfolded her and then slashed her throat. At trial, called world-renowned ASD experts including Prof. Simon Baron-Cohen.

R v Spearman (2016 Northampton)

Manslaughter. Prosecuting Defendant for ‘one-punch’ manslaughter of fellow alcoholic. Main issue was causation – Deceased had died some weeks after assault; Prosecution case based on expert evidence linking assault to death (subdural haemorrhage). Deceased’s lifestyle raised possibility that fatal haematoma caused by post-assault trauma.

R v Baljit Singh Rai & others (2016 Derby)

Conspiracies to Assist Unlawful Immigration and Making Articles for use in Fraud. OP Elder. Prosecuting (leading) – East Midlands Complex Casework Unit. 7 week trial. Successfully prosecuting three family members (father and two sons) for their involvement. Case focused on the provision, through a series of family run businesses based in Derby, of illegal concreting workers to contractors working on major construction projects across the country between 2004 and 2014 (including Drax power station & Dubai Ports World, London Gateway). 65% of the workers provided had no entitlement to either work or be in the United Kingdom.

R v Goldsmith (2016 Northampton/Stafford)

Murder. Prosecuting (leading) Northants Detective Constable accused of murdering his wife (complicated history of domestic unhappiness resulting, in part, from Defendant’s suspension from duty). After the killing, the Defendant re-arranged the scene and then stabbed himself in order to convince the Police that his wife had attacked him first. 3 week trial. Convicted.

R v Butler (2016 Stafford/Leicester)

Murder. Prosecuting (leading) young female Defendant for stabbing to death her older, highly abusive boyfriend. After the killing, the Defendant had tampered with the evidence and stabbed herself, feigning self-defence. Complex history of domestic violence and abuse. Manslaughter plea (diminished responsibility – battered woman syndrome) accepted at trial.

R v Jeffries (2016 Stafford)

Murder. Prosecuting Defendant for beating his infirm father to death during the course of a domestic argument. Manslaughter accepted at re-trial.

R v Moran (2015 Birmingham)

Murder. Prosecuting (leading). In 2010 Defendant convicted after trial of s.18 (face, head and brain injuries - group attack, knives used) and Perverting the Course of Justice. Victim suffered life-changing injuries and was transferred to a specialist care home. In 2014 he died as a direct result of the injuries that he had received in 2009. Defendant re-prosecuted successfully for Murder. Issues as to causation and use to which Murder trial Jury could use original s.18 conviction.

R v Riley & others (2015 Birmingham)

Drugs & money laundering. OP Weld/OP Iridium. West Midlands Complex Casework Unit. Contemporaneous investigations by Humberside and West Mercia Police. Prosecuting (leading – pleas & 4 week trial) 21 Defendants from three regional OCGs for their involvement in various conspiracies, including sourcing and supplying high purity cocaine (multi-kilo: Greater Manchester to Humberside; West Midlands to Humberside; and London to West Midlands); commercial cannabis cultivation at two factories (West Midlands); and money laundering. Complex hierarchy of involvement and interaction between the parties, some of whom were serving prisoners at the time.

R v Cook & Shaw (2015 Lincoln)

OP Tilmore. Leading - prosecuting (VHCC for East Midlands CCU) husband and wife accused of Fraudulent Trading (multiple frauds committed in order to raise £3m) in relation to two companies (caravan & leisure park). Offending involved use of a variety of different methods to fraudulently obtain finance (e.g. disguising and re-identification of property; double selling; sham sales and misrepresentations). Substantial disclosure issues (including issuing of two Prosecution witness summonses against accountants and the instructing of Independent Counsel to assess legal professional privilege claimed). 3 day abuse of process argument (defeated). 7 week trial - first 4 weeks taken with further Defence disclosure applications; both Defendants then pleaded guilty after 3 weeks of evidence.

R v Meakin (2014 Nottingham)

Murder. Prosecuting Defendant for stabbing to death his girlfriend outside their flat following history of domestic abuse (verbal and physical, in private and in public) perpetrated by her against him. Deceased had armed herself with two knives, attacked and wounded the Defendant before he disarmed and then stabbed her with one of the knives.

R v Tarsoly (2014 Derby)

Murder. Prosecuting Hungarian Defendant who had planned and then carried out the premeditated murder of his wife’s lover outside the Deceased’s house in the early hours of the morning. Defendant unsuccessfully claiming ‘loss of control’.

R v Aitken, Aitken, Aitken & Doherty (2014 Leicester)

Murder. Defending (leading) Emma Aitken (aged 19 years). The Defendant, her father and her boyfriend were accused of beating to death and then burning the body of a member of the travelling community who had argued with the fourth Defendant (Defendant’s step-mother; charged with Assisting an Offender) at a Derbyshire miners’ welfare club. 7 week trial before Hon Mr Justice Haddon-Cave.

R v Philip Robinson & others (2014 Nottingham)

Defending, leading, main Defendant (convictions for Customs offences) in 9-handed Customs case (OP Hippolamp). Multiple counts of Conspiring/Being Knowingly Concerned in the Fraudulent Evasion of Duty. 3 million cigarettes seized; two manufacturing lines with packaging capable of making over 50 million cigarettes; machinery for producing and packaging hand rolling tobacco using counterfeit pouches; 5,000 litres of 96% de-natured alcoholic spirit with plans to illegally bottle and sell further substantial amounts of un-dutied spirit. 250 hours of covert audio. In contested confiscation proceedings, successfully challenged applicability of lifestyle provisions and Crown’s attempt to use evaded duty as value of Defendant’s benefit, thereby reducing benefit from £900,000+ to £16,000.

R v Frogg (2013 Nottingham)

Prosecuting. Defendant pleads guilty (after legal argument as to the admissibility of psychiatric evidence) to Attempted Murder arising from a brutal attack on a 4 year old boy – the Defendant repeatedly stabbed the Victim then threw his body onto the pavement outside his house.

R v Eugene Robinson & 6 others (2013 Derby)

Drugs conspiracy. Prosecuting (OP Athonite 1) members of Derby’s ‘A1 Crew’ for exporting cocaine to Aberdeen using drugs mules, couriers and the postal system.