2 Bedford Row

Listed in Chambers Directory for many years as a leader in his field of white collar fraud.

He was singled out by Mr Justice Crane (2005 EWCA Crim. 1788) in the Operation Venison MTIC litigation as:

"the defence, and the hence the judge and jury, would have been kept in the dark.  Fortunately, the integrity of Counsel, as one would expect, prevented that".

GENERAL

Experienced Counsel who primarily specialises in complex and detailed cases of fraud primarily for the Defence.

From 1990 to 2004 he was principally engaged in acting for the Government.

As Standing Counsel to the Department of Trade and Industry from 1990 to 2005 during which period he prosecuted in a large number of high profile and complex fraud (primarily with Junior Counsel).  The work undertaken reflects this Counsel's in depth experience of the Companies Act and the Insolvency Act and he has a detailed working knowledge of current accounting practices.

During the 15 years of his appointment he prosecuted in many of the leading cases for the Department and the case of R v Trietline & Others (2002) [£5 million company fraud].  In the Trietline case the Trade Minister celebrated the Prosecution in a statement to the House of Commons as "the most successful mounted by the Department in the recent years".

He has acted for H M Custons & Excise [from 1995 to 2004] and has been engaged and has prosecuted on their behalf.  Counsel's involvement with Customs is primarily in the area of VAT and Excise Fraud.  Drugs cases undertaken have normally had complexity which has required the particular expertise of this Counsel.

He has wide experience in Instrastat fraud and particularly in MTIC Carousel fraud having been directly involved from the early stages (1999) with responding to the growth of MTIC fraud and engaged crafting the HMRC approach to disruption of the illicit trade.

In particular he was engaged in two of their highest profile cases:

• acted as leading Counsel in Operation Develop [2003-2006] (multi million pound carousel fraud in relation to mobile phones) ;
• acted as leading junior in Operation Venison (R v Uddin & Others [2005 EWCA Crim 1788] : multi million pound carousel fraud.

1. COURT OF APPEAL

Between 1999 and 2004 acted as leading Counsel for HMRC in the Helvellyn/Acidity litigation.  This complex litigation arose out of executive malpractice in relation to "controlled deliveries" of Class A drugs from the Indian sub continent and South America.

2. HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE

Regularly advises Defence solicitors on apects of Health and Safety Enforcement.

In late 2007 he sucessfully prosecuted two construction companies in Buckinghamshire in relation to near fatal deaths at work (HSE v Clarks Ltd and Enviromental Reclaimation Ltd).

3. ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

Has advised on behalf of a number of further Government Agenices: Department of Health: Medicines Act and powers of that Department; DTI: Disqualification of Directors and Section 447 Investigations (CIB).

4. INDEPENDENT COUNSEL

Has acted as Independent Counsel in a search and seizure actions for the Metropolitan Police solicitors.  Recently he has acted for the Law Society in a high profile intervention where his integrity was commended by the Chancery Division judge.

Since relinquishing his role as Standing Counsel to the Department of Trade and Industry in 2005 ad terminating his commitment to HMRC he has concentrated on Defence work for the past four years.

5. STATE DISCLOSURE

In a number of cases has acted as both an Independent and in a defence specialist capacity in the area of the State's disclosure duties.

6. DEFENCE

In particular in the past three years he has acted as Leading Counsel for the Defence in a number of complex frauds including.

General Fraud

• R v Cassidy and Others: Advanced Airline Ticketing Fraud (loss of £5 million to the world's airlines);
• R v Ogunjimi and Others (2007): Benefit Fraud on the DHSS (of £2 million) 

Internet Fraud

• R v Adamson and Others [2008] (Operation Sunbird): £20M Internet Fraud on London clearing banks.

Pharmaceutical Fraud

He has been heavily committed to this work since 2005 and developed considerable expertise as to trans global enforcement including the DEA and the MHRA.

• R v Patino and Others (2007 to 2008): multi million pound global conspiracy in relation to counterfeit pharmaceticals products (Viagra and Cialis) where he led a successful defence.
• R v Devo and Others [2007] (Isle of Man): advised the Defence on disclosure issues in inter linked MHRA cases (counterfeit pharmaceuticals).

He is currently instructed in the defence of a WDL holder in an ongoing prosecution by the MHRA/DWP.

7. DEFENCE ADVISORY WORK

He has advised Defence Solicitors with regard to litigation in relation to his identified specialties including:

• European Convention on Human Rights 1998
• Insolvency Acts and Companies Acts 1985 and 2006
• Companies Directors Disqualification Act 1986
• Gaming Acts
• Medicines Act 1968
• VAT Acts and Customs and Excise Management Act. Proceeds of Crime Act.