Pump Court
Dean George KC

Dean George KC

Call 2002
Silk 2019

"Absolutely brilliant."

Chambers & Partners 2020

"An outstanding advocate."

Legal 500 2020 (Fraud)

"Tactically astute and a master in cross-examination."

Legal 500 2020 (Crime)

Memberships
  • Amnesty International
  • Liberty & Criminal Bar Association
Education
  • Arden Scholarship, Gray’s Inn
  • First Class Hons in Law & Accountancy
Directory Quotes
  • “Absolutely brilliant.” Chambers & Partners 2020
  • “An outstanding advocate.” Legal 500 2020 (Fraud)
  • “Tactically astute and a master in cross-examination.” Legal 500 2020 (Crime)
  • “His attention to detail is very strong.” Chambers & Partners 2020
  • “A superb advocate who fights tenaciously for his clients, but doesn’t take stupid points.” Legal 500 2019 (Crime)
  • “Always completely prepared and on top of his case.” Legal 500 2019 (Fraud)
  • “He is thoroughly sharp-witted and has an impeccable knowledge of the law.” Chambers & Partners 2019
  • One of the best juniors at the Bar, his work ethic, his ability with clients and his abilities on technical legal points make him the total package.” “He is canny and charming.” Chambers & Partners 2018
  • “Notable criminal junior praised by the market for his intellectual acumen and advocacy skills. He is a “tough advocate” with expertise in the handling of serious criminal matters, such as murder and firearms cases.” Chambers & Partners 2018
  • “His foresight and tactical approach means he is always many steps ahead of co-defendants.” Legal 500 Fraud 2017
  • “He is unquestionably one of the hardest-working junior barristers.” Legal 500 Crime 2017
  • “A brilliant advocate with a flair for jury trials. He has great judgement and is a brilliant tactician.” Chambers & Partners 2015

Instructing Dean George KC

To instruct Dean or for any further information please contact our clerks.

Clerk: John Grimmer
Telephone: +44 (0)7776 154 664
Email: Click here

Dean is one of the few Silks who specialises in crime, courts-martials, judicial review and quasi-crime (such as Police Property Act applications, unlawfulness of stops and searches, firearms applications / responses, dangerous dogs issues, road traffic issues, confiscation, environmental law, health and safety, actions against the police and challenging warrants and police retention of property).   He has an in-depth knowledge of EncroChat phones, cyber security and cyber-crime.  He is quoted in ‘The Art of the Loophole’, written by Nick Freeman.

He is ranked in tier 1 of the 2022 edition Legal 500 in fraud and described as “wonderfully smooth”.  He has consistently been ranked in both the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners in crime.  In the 2022 edition of Chambers and Partners (Crime) he is described as: “Fantastically natural in court, he is absolutely loved by juries. His charisma is off the scale.” “Extremely impressive and hard-working, he takes proper points and will not let them go.”  His advice is often sought by other Silks and Juniors on complex legal and tactical issues because of his expert knowledge in these areas.

He has undertaken numerous murders (regularly appearing at the Old Bailey), high profile fraud, drugs, firearms, money laundering, and road traffic cases.  He has been instructed in numerous reported Appellate cases (and has regularly been specifically sourced to undertake appeals in cases which have been conducted by others in the lower courts). He has specialist knowledge in cyber-crime having undertaken some of the largest scale hacking and computer misuse type offences, with an in depth knowledge of server processes, the black web, white hacking, bitcoin and other cyber currency usage and transfer processes.

Dean is often sought out and instructed by high profile companies, international sporting organisations, lawyers and high profile personnel owing to his tactical skills, knowledge of the law, as well as an ability to undertake criminal and civil work, and because of his level of discretion.

He provides pre-charge advice relating to money laundering / cross-jurisdictional money laundering and requests, as well as other matters.  Amongst other matters he assisted and arbitrated in a multi-million dollar contractual and potential insolvency dispute (involving insolvency practitioners, magic circle commercial firms of solicitors and the Official Receiver), secured a pay-out for  Premiership footballer for his wrongful arrest, represented a Lance Corporal accused of war crimes which the media equated with Abu Ghraib offences, resisted a judicial review by the Chief Constable of Somerset: Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police, R (on the application of) v Police Misconduct Tribunal & Ors [2021] EWHC 1125 (Admin) (30 April 2021), successfully issued proceedings on behalf of a Senior Partner of a large law firm leading to the return of a dog seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act and obtained an apology for a lawyer wrongfully stopped and searched.

Practice Areas

Fraud

Dean is instructed in cases involving multi-million pound allegations, cross-border allegations, cyber-crime, vast money laundering cases and matters involving forensic accountants. His joint first class degree in Law & Accountancy provides an additional foundation for cross-examining, preparing, and dissecting such cases.

Always completely prepared and on top of his case”: (Legal 500, 2019 – Fraud). His foresight and tactical approach means he is always many steps ahead of co-defendants”: (Legal 500 Fraud 2017)

He is also instructed in large scale cases involving the fraudulent evasion of the prohibition on goods (such as drugs, tax and other dutiable goods).

Notable fraud cases


R v K [2016-2020]

Central Criminal Court. Said to be one of the largest UK cyber hacking cases involving the hacking, fraud, unauthorised access to computers and servers and blackmails both nationally and globally (hacking / fraud / blackmail relating to the UK, America, Canada, Australia amongst other places).K was said to have gained unauthorised access to computers and servers of various institutes or servers, overloading of servers, theft of material from the servers / computers, use of files and information obtained in hacks, fraudulent use of items, blackmails said to have occurred to company directors etc, transfers of bitcoins obtained by those blackmails. The case involved access to Bitcoin accounts and wallets, and the obtaining of bitcoins.To put the case into context just one of the counts involved the notorious BT / Talk Talk hack, said to have cost the company over £77 million pounds.K had been undiagnosed with Asperger’s until the instruction of his legal team. He was acquitted of various of the counts he was indicted with but pleaded guilty to others. Various experts were instructed and substantial mitigation being put forward (with a bundle of sentencing material totalling over 500 pages). He was sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment with the Judge indicating that it would have been 10 years but for the mitigation.The case was reported globally and locally in various media outlets.


R v P [2018]

Crown Court at Harrow. Acquittal of Mr P in a complicated money laundering case in which it was alleged that Mr P attended a pub car park with an intention to hand over a large bag / quantity of money to a money launderer with connections to the middle east. The defence demonstrated how Mr P had built up a multi-million pound business and savings from the early 1980s until present, to establish that the money recovered from him was legitimate and not illicit proceeds. This required historic analysis of the sale of properties (some of which there were no formal records for), leasing and selling of cars, borrowing and lending of money, investments in jewellery and transfers and movements of money between bank accounts.


R v Davies [2018]

Central Criminal Court. Confiscation proceedings in respect of a bribery allegation by a company of which Mr Davies was the accountant and the co-defendant was the director, to “win” a £3.7 bomb disposal contract by in the US. There was a concurrent FBI investigation. There were cut-throat instructions as between the defendants with Mr Davies being successful on the issues he advanced where there was a conflict.


R v C & 10 Others [2017-2018]

Fuel evasion fraud (half a million pounds in evaded duty but fuel worth significantly more) in which Mr C is said to have been at the head of the organisation. It is alleged that he and the others obtained agricultural fuel which has lower taxable duty payable on it and then arranged for its delivery to various petrol stations in the UK to be sold as non-agricultural fuel. Complicated investigation involving surveillance, fuel/tanker testing, cell site/phone analysis and other financial aspects.


R v D & Others [2017]

Crown Court at Aylesbury. Allegation that Mr D was at the head of an organisation which arranged for the importation [from Eastern Europe] and onward supply of almost 3 million cigarettes (Gold Classic Cigarettes) on which no duty had been paid or was to be paid, nor for which any of the parties had permission to bring into the UK/sell onwards. Leading Counsel. Acquittal of Mr D at a second attempt at the trial resulting from disclosure issues raised while Dean had been instructed.


R v V & 2 Others [2017]

Crown Court at Inner London. £2.5 million conspiracy to defraud those in the entertainment industry by through a File Transfer Protocol server and a Leaseweb site based in the Netherlands, in which restricted and paid access could be obtained by numerous persons on the internet to obtain various films, books and other material and for which subscriptions were obtained. Complicated computer/financial evidence. Contesting the matter up to trial resulted in the Crown accepting a plea to Mr V only benefitting in the sum of just over £30,000 and resulting in him obtaining a suspended sentence.


R v D & Another [2017]

Central Criminal Court. Successful reduction in a claim for confiscation (where Mr D had significant assets which would have outweighed any benefit claim) in respect of a bribery allegation by a company of which Mr D was the accountant, and the co-defendant was the director, bribery to “win” multi-million pound contracts from the US. There was a concurrent FBI investigation.


R v B [2015]

Crown Court at Chelmsford. Acquittal of a G4S security driver / operator alleged to have defrauded / stolen in excess of £800,000 on a security round (described in the media as the biggest security van heist in a decade).The case involved extensive expert evidence including the calling of the designer of the G4S vans / security systems, experts on tracking / GPS / black box devices and psychologists.The lead designer of the G4S van / security system called by the Prosecution (whom had been given special protective measures under the anonymity provisions) was cross-examined as to the incorrectness of where he contended the money was dropped off and had exposed serious errors in a number of his reports and conclusions. The Defence case was that the money was dropped off at a different location from that contended by the Prosecution who had called a number of experts to support their contention.


R v E & Others [2015]

Crown Court at Norwich. Successful Newton Hearing on behalf of Mr E whom the Crown argued was of a high significant role in a multi-Kilo country wide drug conspiracy which justified him being sentenced for a category 1 offence. Following the Newton Hearing Mr E was sentenced as having a lesser role for a category 2 offence. The majority of the co-defendants were sentenced as having leading or significant roles in a category 2 offence.


R v S & Another [2014]

Central Criminal Court. Representing the lead Defendant in a multi-million pound international fraud. The fraud was said to be extensive and involved the purchase of equipment and money defrauded from countries as far as Eastern Europe to America.A plea was entered on a specific basis (primarily asserting that there was no loss) resulting in the holding of a Newton Hearing in which the Judge found in favour of S on all issues resulting in a suspended sentence being imposed.


R v L [2014]

Crown Court at Wood Green. Written representations / submissions / application to dismiss leading the Prosecution to concede that it had to offer no evidence. L had been charged with fraudulent representations in relation an allegation of him renting out property he was not entitled to/seeking to move tenants into property he had no entitlement to.


R v JV & Others [2013]

Crown Court at Kingston. Dean successfully applied to dismiss a conspiracy to supply/import 49 kilos of drugs hidden in fruit/using shell companies/real business fronts to commit the fraudulent evasion in which JV had been identified by numerous surveillance officers as being the person in various surveillance videos having meetings with others and involved in incriminating acts on the basis that the identifications were substantially flawed; although the Crown’s case also relied upon telephone/cell site evidence. A number of other defendants have since been convicted of the offence.Since the raising of the submission the IPCC has upheld a complaint about the use by officers of an out-of-date surveillance/comparison photograph used to “identify” JV.


R v RS [2013]

Crown Court at Winchester. RS had been charged with 13 counts of fraud representing a loss of over £3.2 million (mortgage frauds). Dean successfully argued against 12 of the counts resulting in the Crown accepting a plea to one count of just over £90,000 for which RS was given a suspended sentence.


R v K & 9 Others [2012]

Crown Court at Croydon. Represented the lead defendant (who had largely been based in the Ukraine) in a high profile and highly complicated international multi-million pound cyber-crime involving the issuing of Trojan Malware (a malicious computer virus) which captured the bank and personal details of those who used online banking facilities. Not only were British and European authorities involved in the investigation process but the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) also became involved.The fraudulent/criminal funds were alleged to have been diverted through at least 37 different countries (through three continents). It was alleged that over 600 UK customers were directly affected by the fraud with the money that was taken from those accounts being diverted to approximately 680 beneficiary accounts at a total loss that ran into millions to some of the more major banking organisations including HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays and Lloyds TSB.Attracted press attention both nationally and internationally.


R v H & Others [2012]

Crown Courts at Kingston & Bristol. Acted for a person who had been arrested after the trial of a number of other co-accused concerning a conspiracy to import (the acts being successful) of 80kg of cocaine worth £8 million. The first accused received a sentence of 22 years’ imprisonment whereas Mr H received a sentence of 6 years following the Crown conceding various aspects of the case which led to an acceptance of Mr H’s basis of plea.


R v LP & Others [2012]

Crown Court at Bristol. Successful legal argument (based on a jurisdictional grounds) preventing the Crown from further proceeding in large scale confiscation proceedings instituted against the lead defendant in a conspiracy to supply class A drugs throughout locations in the UK (the only defendant to whom the argument applied). Confiscation orders were made against a number of the other defendants.


R v B & Others [2011]

Crown Court at Kingston. Successful abuse of process argument on behalf of B resulting in his case being stayed. The case involved a multi-million pound allegations of money laundering (sterling and Euros). Amongst other matters it was suggested that: (i) bureau de changes had been used to launder money worldwide; (ii) that there had been large scale concealment of funds by various agencies; (iii) bureau de changes connected to the defendants were used to cover up the activities from criminal gangs linked to identity frauds/thefts and VAT frauds; (iv) the defendants had been involved in the false creation of documents / false accounting to cover up the alleged money laundering; (v) defendants had been involved in MTIC frauds and/or that parts of the money laundered had come from such offences. In total it is alleged that over £100,000,000 was laundered/involved.


R v W & Others [2011]

Crown Court at Kingston. Acquittal of the lead defendant in allegations concerning him orchestrating/being involved in large scale conspiracies to import cocaine.


Crime

Dean is ranked as a leader in crime in both the 2022 editions of Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500.   He is described as “wonderfully smooth”,  and “Fantastically natural in court…  “..he is absolutely loved by juries. His charisma is off the scale.” “Extremely impressive and hard-working, he takes proper points and will not let them go.” He is consistently ranked in the legal directories.

He has previously been described as “Absolutely brilliant”: Chambers & Partners 2020, Tactically astute and a master in cross-examination”: Legal 500 2020, “…thoroughly sharp-witted and has an impeccable knowledge of the law..”: Chambers & Partners, 2019, A superb advocate who fights tenaciously for his clients”: Legal 500, 2019, his ability with clients and his abilities on technical legal points make him the total package”: Chambers & Partners, 2018

Notable crime cases


R v M [2021 to 2022]

The director of a large company was acquitted of a section 18 GBH glassing in a pub setting. Mr M had pleaded guilty to a lesser section 20 offence and was given a suspended sentence.


R v M [2019]

Crown Court at Croydon. Privately instructed to represent M who was indicted but acquitted of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. M was employed within a school where he resided. It was alleged that he pulled out a gun (imitation) on two delivery men who were being blamed for fitting a faulty washing machine / defrauding him by supplying the wrong washing machine deliberately. The case involved allegations that the delivery men were involved in the fraud and more heavily involved in the shop where the washing machine was delivered from than they were prepared to declare, and allegations that they were lying. Half-way through the cross-examination of the first delivery man, with the jury laughing at parts of his evidence, he decided he could no longer understand English and required an interpreter (despite having given his evidence-in-chief in English and part of his cross-examination in English). The trial had to be aborted and re-tried at which point the second delivery driver needed to go abroad. The prosecution decided in view of the way the evidence had gone in the first trial it could not proceed leading to M being acquitted. Large scale media coverage.


R v D & 13 Others [2018]

Crown Court at Kingston. Instructed as leading Counsel in what appears to be one of the largest scale, sophisticated class A drugs operations. The quantities of cocaine said to be involved in the conspiracy is over one tonne (over a 1000 kg). The wholesale value of the drugs would exceed £30,000,000.There were hugely complicated issues including a suggestion of potential impropriety of solicitors who had been involved in representing those in the investigations including the alleged payment of a large quantity of cash to one solicitor by D, complicated issues of legal privilege, issues regarding the propriety of identification evidence (which was excluded), and potential police impropriety by virtue of the police tampering with exhibits in the case. The nature of the suggestions, in fact, caused an issue whereby the main officer being accused at one stage collapsed (although it cannot be said to be linked in any formal way) and both Prosecution Counsel had to withdraw from the case because of them becoming conflicted by virtue of the officer’s evidence, as did two co-defendant counsel. The trial accordingly had to be aborted after 4 weeks.


R v D [2018]

Crown Court at Kingston. Bulgarian arms dealing case in which shipments of guns, machine guns, ammunition and other firearms were shipped / distributed across Europe and into the UK for which D was said to part of the be the UK connect / distributor. Crown contended that this was one of the largest arms dealing cases in recent times.Case involving approximately 30,000 pages of material, telephone and surveillance evidence, voice intercepts, international intercepts and surveillance, in a case involving conspiracy to import, and conspiracy to supply firearms (including machine guns) on a commercial scale.


R v M [2018]

Involving the importation of very large quantities of cannabis resin into the United Kingdom from Spain and the distribution and intended distribution of it in this country. On one of the seizures 844 kilogrammes of cannabis resin was found which was said, at that time (2006), to have a value of between £2,530,000 and £4,218,000. He had, however, absconded before his trial was due to start and, therefore, had been “on the run” for over 10 years. There had been failed attempts to extradite him beforehand. He was eventually extradited when he visited a different country.


R v S & Others [2018]

S was acquitted of a robbery following representations and submissions made at the start of the trial which the Crown conceded had to result in them offering no evidence. The complainant, who is said to be linked to a well-known TV personality, alleged that she was robbed in her own home by three men as a result of an argument which emanated from a property development dispute.


R v T [2017]

Crown Court at Chelmsford. Acquittal of T who was alleged to have been involved in the supply of over 80kg of drugs.


R v K [2017]

Crown Court at Woolwich. Acquittal of Mr K of attempted section 18 GBH in circumstances where he is said to have pursued a moped driver in his car along a number of roads before colliding into the rear of the moped, across the path of oncoming traffic, on the Old Kent Road before squashing the driver into the side of a coach (Mr K’s case was that he was acting in self-defence).


R v D & Others [2015]

Before Mr Justice Dingemans. Crown Court at Bristol [‘the Becky Watts’ murder]. Acquittal of D who was accused of assisting an offender by storing the body parts of Becky Watts after her step-brother killed and dismembered her. Mr D’s twin brother and his partner had pleaded guilty to assisting an offender.


R v L [2015]

Acquittal of Mr L who had been charged with the armed robbery (imitation firearm) and the kidnaps of a man and his 5 year old son. It was alleged that Mr L had driven the two complainants around various locations to force the father to obtain money from cash points / banks. The Prosecution contended that the offences were evidenced by text messages in which it was said that Mr L had warned the complainant father of his intentions to shoot him and “nap” his son.


R v C

Crown Court at Chelmsford. Acquittal of Mr C who was charged with sexual assault on the his daughter’s friend.


R v M [2014]

M had been charged with a section 18 (GBH) and lesser charges in which it was alleged the victim was hospitalised (and which was allegedly witnessed by a number of others and where the police witnessed the aftermath). He was acquitted of all counts.


R v MM & Others [2014]

Prosecuted by Senior and Junior Treasury Counsel in a multi-handed incident involving allegations of large scale violence resulting in one of the defendants being charged with the manslaughter of his friend. Reported in the media.


R v DM & Others [2013]

Dean was instructed for the main defendant in the armed robbery (gun and sword) of the wife of the owner of Costcutters in which 3 masked men entered her home and stole over £200,000 of jewellery. Reported in the medial.


R v A & 4 Others [2013]

Dean was instructed in a case which lasted 2 ½ months for the main defendant (said to be the gunman) in which a number of males entered a sports shop, kidnapped two workers before keeping them tied and bound for a number of days while blackmailing the older brother of one of those taken and starving the victims.


R v F & Another [2012]

Cash in transit robbery where the evidence relied upon against F and the co-accused was the same. The co-accused pleaded guilty to the count. F was acquitted after trial.


Murder & Manslaughter

Dean is ranked as a leader in crime in both the 2022 editions of Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500.   He has been described as “wonderfully smooth”,  and “Fantastically natural in court, he is absolutely loved by juries. His charisma is off the scale.” “Extremely impressive and hard-working, he takes proper points and will not let them go.

He has previously been described as “Absolutely brilliant”: Chambers & Partners 2020, Tactically astute and a master in cross-examination”: Legal 500 2020, “…thoroughly sharp-witted and has an impeccable knowledge of the law..”: Chambers & Partners, 2019, A superb advocate who fights tenaciously for his clients”: Legal 500, 2019, his ability with clients and his abilities on technical legal points make him the total package”: Chambers & Partners, 2018

Dean has been instructed in multiple high profile murder, manslaughter, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder and related cases.  He has expert knowledge in DNA, cell site, phone, firearms and their discharge / gun shot residue, facial mapping, crime scene and blood spatter evidence.   He represented to acquittal, Mr D who was accused of hiding the body parts of a girl (Becky Watts) who was killed and dismembered.

In 2022 he secured the acquittal of one of those accused of conspiring to murder Sasha Johnson (the Black Lives Matter activist),  the acquittal of a man accused of carrying out an execution killing / murder, and the acquittal of a man accused of the murder and manslaughter  of a woman during a large scale fight lasting over an hour (where a cut-throat defence was advanced against him).

Notable murder & manslaughter cases


R v T [2022] Central Criminal Court

Acquittal of T who was indicted with carrying out the execution killing / murder of a male in Betts Park in Penge. The case involved facial mapping evidence, CCTV evidence from which the prosecution suggested identifications of hair lines, body movements, clothing and continuity of suspect could be made, ANPR evidence, DNA evidence, firearms evidence, and telephone and cell site evidence.


R v B & Others [2022] Central Criminal Court

Acquittal of B who was charged with conspiring to murder Sasha Johnson (a Black Lives Matter activist)


R v W & Others [2021 to 2022]

Acquittal of W of both murder and manslaughter and a separate ABH involving a large scale incident (involving over 20 persons over the course of an hour or so where multiple persons were hurt and one was, unfortunately, killed). There were six separate witnesses who purported to identify W at various stages of the incidents. Cross-examination established contamination of identifications, misidentifications and defects in the identification procedure (including criticism of the way the police conducted the identification parades), and where unused cell site evidence was deployed by Dean which was suggested to alibi W for the main parts of the incident.


R v B & Others [2021]

Acquittal of B of the attempted murder of a male who was said to have disrespected a young woman in front of those who cuckooed her house following him taking her on a date. The case had numerous complexities. Despite the indication of cut-throat defences they were avoided leading to all defendants being acquitted of the main charge and convicted of a lesser one.


R v S [2021]

Acquittal of murder. The case involved complex medical evidence in which it was suggested that S had repeatedly punched the deceased, causing a twisting motion of his neck to such an extent that it ruptured an artery and caused a brain bleed leading to his death. Following representations the prosecution accepted a plea of guilty to manslaughter. S was sentenced to 4 years, 8 months’ imprisonment.


R v I & Others [2021]

The alleged murder and separate wounding with intent of two young males by I in which he is said to have used a large Rambo knife to slash open a 15 year old’s neck, and to have severed part of another youth’s arm.


R v MF & Another [2020]

Crown Court at Bristol. Acquittal of MF who was indicted, with his co-accused, of murdering a male whom they both knew by repeatedly stamping and kicking his head on the landing of his own premises. The accused and deceased were said to be alcoholics who often lived on the street. There was a substantial cut-throat advanced by MF against the co-accused, with the case involving complex issues of blood spatter evidence (which the prosecution sought to suggest showed MF was an assailant), issues of causation of death, intoxication, substantial and complex medical evidence (involving brain and eye injury, bone and tissue damage, the issue of the administration of medicine, gait evidence) and psychological issues. Following the service of defence evidence and the advancing of a cut-throat defence the co-accused pleaded guilty to murder. MF was acquitted.


R v KA [2019]

Central Criminal Court. Acquittal of KA who was indicted with murdering his sister in a truly tragic case. KA was a gay, Asian male, formerly a member of KPMG, who suffered great prejudice, ostracization from his family and social circles and an eventual mental breakdown. He began hearing voices which involved them telling him to kill his sister. Following the instruction of expert evidence and undertaking various investigations the prosecution accepted a plea to manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility. He was sentenced to a hospital order. Wide ranging media coverage.


R v B & Three Others [2016]

Crown Court at Stafford. Acquittal of B who was said to have been involved in a group murder carried out in the middle of the street in the early hours of the morning while people were on their way to work. The attackers were said to have used DIY equipment to attack and hack at the victim. Said to be a revenge stabbing by a drugs gang. B was acquitted. All of the co-accused were convicted of homicide offences.


R v D [2016]

Crown Court at Harrow. Acquittal of D at the close of the Prosecution case of an offence of attempted murder. It was alleged that D had attended an All White Party held by the music group WSTRN and following an altercation he witnessed, produced a gun firing into a crowd and hitting someone with a bullet. The Crown’s case centred on identification and forensic evidence.


R v JO & Others [2015]

Central Criminal Court. Acquittal of Mr JO who was jointly charged with others of being involved in a mass gang incident resulting in the stabbing and killing of a rival member. The Prosecution primarily relied upon Low Copy Number DNA evidence which suggested JO’s DNA matched that found on the murder weapon. Complex legal arguments were raised regarding the validity of the DNA evidence, the level of picogrammes used as the DNA sample and whether the sample was below the stochastic threshold to allow for a proper comparison. Mr JO was acquitted following a successful submission of no case to answer.


R v E7 [2015]

Central Criminal Court. Acquittal of E7, a specialist firearms officer, who was charged with murdering Azelle Rodney while police were carrying out an intercept of a vehicle in which Mr Rodney and others were travelling. One of only a few police officers in England who have been charged with carrying out a murder in the course of their duty.


R v AC & JC [2015]

Central Criminal Court. Acquittal of AC (a music artist) who had been jointly charged with JC (his younger brother) of stabbing to death a male in broad daylight in Hackney; which was captured on CCTV footage and was said to have been witnessed by numerous residents and passer-bys. JC, who was represented by separate advocates, was convicted of manslaughter.


R v AC & JC [2015]

Acquittal of AC (a music artist) who had been jointly charged with JC (his younger brother) of stabbing to death a male in broad daylight in Hackney; which was captured on CCTV footage and was said to have been witnessed by numerous residents and passer-by’s. JC, who was represented by separate advocates, was convicted of manslaughter.


R v S & Others [2015]

Acquittal of Mr S (the lead defendant) who was alleged to have arranged for two men to find and locate a man who had been into his home and stolen his car keys and “criminal property”. This resulted in one of the men shooting the complainant in the stomach with a shotgun at close range and then seeking to shoot the complainant in the head while stating that he was going to kill him. The co-defendant who pleaded guilty to shooting the complainant was sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment.


R v FI [2014]

Successful submission of no case to answer leading to the acquittal of FI on a count of murder in which it is alleged that he lured out the deceased from his flat while another stabbed him to death. It was alleged that the background to the case had its origins in the failed purchase of a firearm. The Crown’s case relied upon telephone evidence, text messages, CCTV footage, eyewitness accounts and alleged suspicious behaviour by FI following the incident. Dean had successfully obtained bail for FI and undertook a significant amount of the preparation and cross-examination (including the cross-examination of the officer-in-the case in which the telephone evidence was contextualised; the Defence having prepared their own schedule of messages and calls spanning the months prior to the incident rather than just the period which the Crown alleged to be relevant). The Crown unsuccessfully sought to appeal the ruling (not even obtaining leave to appeal following an oral hearing).


R v N & Another [2014]

Acquittal of N who had been accused of a triple attempted murder, an offence of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and other related offences. The case involved an allegation that N, his co-accused and others had been involved in the attempted murder of Albanian car wash attendants following a dispute between them and those said to be from the travelling community. The co-accused was convicted of a lesser offence.


R v FD [2013]

Acquittal of Mr FD of a murder in which he was seen on CCTV footage to have a one-on-one knife fight with the deceased having gone home earlier to collect a knife following a previous argument. He was said to have struck the deceased, at least, 9 times with significant force. Alternative verdict of manslaughter reached.


R v T [2013]

High Profile murder, attempted murder, firearms and other related charges in which the intended victim was said to be a leading UK urban artist.


Serious Sexual Offences

Dean has undertaken many high profile cases both at Crown Court and Appellate level. At the end of 2021 he had a serving Army Officer’s convictions for sexual offences overturned on appeal after another advocate had lodged different grounds which had been refused by the single Judge. He represented a Lance Corporal in what was described as Britain’s Abu Ghraib, where detainees were said to have been forced into sexual positions and had photographs taken of them.

Between 2019 and 2021 Dean represented L, a Director of a large company and a former police officer on numerous historic abuse allegations (some 30 to 40 years before). The original trial lasted almost three months with complex issues of disclosure, abuse of process. L was acquitted of 9 of 25 counts with the jury being unable to reach verdicts on a further 11 counts. in the end L was convicted of allegations against only one of the complainants and received a non-custodial sentence.

He is ranked as a leader in crime in both the 2022 editions of Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500. He has been described as “wonderfully smooth”, and “Fantastically natural in court, he is absolutely loved by juries. His charisma is off the scale.” “Extremely impressive and hard-working, he takes proper points and will not let them go.

He has previously been “….praised by the market for his intellectual acumen and advocacy skills. George is highlighted as a “class advocate” who has extensive expertise of handling serious criminal matters, such as murder, assault and historical sexual abuse.” “”He is thoroughly sharp-witted and has an impeccable knowledge of the law.” “A mastermind.”: Chambers & Partners 2019

Notable serious sexual offences cases


R v B [2021] EWCA Crim 1932; [2021] 10 WLUK 582

B was a Sergeant in the Army. It was alleged that he and another officer had been at a drinks event and ended up in the same room as one another where he sexually assaulted her the following morning. B had been convicted after trial. A new advocate was instructed to draft grounds of appeal. He did so and lodged them. They were refused by the single Judge. Dean was instructed to re-review the case. He submitted a whole new set of grounds and had to go through the special procedure of having to lodge different grounds after they had been refused by a single Judge (a rarely used procedure). The appeal was allowed. At a subsequent contested hearing to determine whether there ought to be a re-trial, the prosecution’s application was declined.


R v L [2019 to 2020]

One of the more high-profile cases in recent years in which a former police officer L was said to have, some 30 to 40 years’ ago, sexually assaulted (including buggery and rape) a number of boys and a girl. The trial lasted almost three months with complex issues of disclosure, abuse of process. L was acquitted of 9 of 25 counts with the jury being unable to reach verdicts on a further 11 counts. The case involved complex cross-examinations, issues of cross-admissibility, section 41 applications, determining which law applied given the historical nature of the case and substantial investigations. There was large scale media coverage. L had been convicted of allegations on just one of the complainants. There were issues of appeal and whether the prosecution ought to be able to have re-trials on other counts. Ultimately, L was sentenced to a non-custodial order.


R v A [2019]

Crown Court at Inner London. Representation of a teenager who was alleged to have committed a series of stranger rapes, attempted rapes and other sexual offences on women who walked back alone from nights out from a train station in south London. There were numerous legal arguments, DNA evidence, identification evidence, CCTV evidence and phone evidence.


R v C

Crown Court at Chelmsford. Acquittal of Mr C who was charged with sexual assault on his daughter’s friend.


R v C & Another

Crown Court at Blackfriars. Successful dismissal of charges on behalf of C (who was charged with his brother) on charges of conspiracy to rape and substantive counts of rape on a grandmother. The co-accused was convicted. Legal arguments prevented the Crown from proceeding against C.


R v G

Acquittal of a man charged with seven counts of sexual activity upon his step-granddaughter.


Appeals

Dean is regularly instructed to undertake appeals where the original trial/sentence was undertaken by a different Advocate. He is often instructed by virtue of his knowledge of the law, his drafting skills and because he thoroughly reviews all cases which are so referred to him; meaning he can identify issues that are sometimes missed on even a first or second review of the case. He is careful to ensure that only meritorious points are taken and considers carefully which points from a tactical point of view ought to be pursued on any such appeal.

Notable appeals cases


R v B [2021] EWCA Crim 1932; [2021] 10 WLUK 582

Dean successfully appealed the conviction of an Army Officer accused of sexual assault, and argued against there being a re-trial. The re-trial was refused and B was acquitted. B (a Sergeant in the Army) had been convicted of sexually assaulting a fellow officer in a Mess bedroom after a drinks event. B had been represented at trial by senior junior counsel and had a different advocate initially draft grounds of appeal which were refused by the Single Judge. Dean was then instructed to re-review the case. He submitted a whole new set of grounds using the rarely used special procedure permitting different grounds to be lodged from those argued before the single Judge.


R v KC [2018]

Successful appeal against sentence in a red diesel fuel fraud offence.


R v S [2018]

Appeal against conviction in an attempted murder case in which the complainant had been sliced across the throat and suffered other serious injuries.


R v FI [2015] EWCA Crim 212

Successful resistance on behalf of FI of a Prosecution appeal against a High Court’s judge’s ruling that FI had no case to answer on a count of murder following the close of the Prosecution case (Dean had represented FI in the proceedings below). Dean had successfully obtained bail for FI at the start of the proceedings and undertook a substantial amount of work prior to the instruction and after the instruction of Queen’s Counsel. The Court of Appeal upheld the High Court Judge’s decision. A trial against a number of others will be recommenced (they being involved in the original proceedings and not having made / not been successful in any submission of no case to answer.


R v X [2014]

Successful application for leave to appeal against convictions for murder and attempted murder.


R v W [2013-2014]

Successful application for leave to appeal against a conviction for a conspiracy to import drugs for one of the persons said to be at the organiser of the importation of drugs from the Caribbean.


R v M [2013-2014]

Appeal on behalf of a person said to be the organiser of a large scale drug dealing operation. Dean was not instructed in the original proceedings. Having reviewed the matter grounds were drafted regarding the impropriety of the disclosure process, and failure to give various legal directions. The matter has been referred for full hearing with the Prosecution being ordered to respond in full.


R v M & Others [2013]

Appeal against conviction in respect of a high profile attempted murder case involving the shooting of a 5 year old girl causing her paralysis.


R v I & Another [2012-2013]

Appeal against a conviction for murder.


R v C [2013] EWCA Crim 959

Successful appeal against sentence in a serious assault case. The sentence was reduced from 8 ½ years to 7 years. Dean had not been instructed at the original sentencing hearing.


R v D [2013]

Appeal against sentence for the chief organiser of a large scale drug conspiracy in various locations in the UK.


R v T [2013]

Successful application for leave to appeal substantially out of time against sentence in a high profile shooting of a UK grime artist. Dean was not instructed in the original proceedings but managed to obtain leave despite the original advice by senior Counsel contending that there were no grounds for appeal. The Court granted the application for leave to appeal out of time on the basis that there was merit in contending that the original advice was wrong.


R v Olu & Others [2010] All ER (D) 264 (Dec); [2010] EWCA Crim 2975; (2011) 175 JP 1, LTL 22/12/2010

Leading judgment on the ability of a defendant to challenge a police caution, the rules to be followed where it is intended to do so, the form of the direction that the judge is to give regarding the challenging of the caution and / or a conviction and any resulting full good character direction that ought to be given where the jury accept that the caution/conviction is not valid (and the other conditions for giving a direction are fulfilled), or a partial good character direction where the caution is accepted as being valid. The appeal also addressed important disclosure points concerning the importance of the Crown following the disclosure regime in particular the need for a the Crown Prosecutor to identify the issues in the case (whether or not a defence statement has been served) and to direct the disclosure officer to ensure that he or she approaches the matter through the exercise of judgment and not simply as a schedule completing exercise and provides disclosure having regards to the identified issues; and to ensure that the police officer who was not trained in that skill to act under the guidance of the CPS. Substantial criticisms were made of the disclosure regime and the Thames Valley Police’s disclosure regime was overhauled as a result of the case.


R v NW [2010] EWCA Crim 404; [2010] 2 Cr App R 54; [2010] WLR (D) 62; (2010) Times, 29 April, [2010] All ER (D) 34 Mar

Leading case on the meaning of “present together” for the purpose of violent disorder. Question certified for the Supreme Court.


R v CPS Campbell; McInerney v Financial Services Authority and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency v Carlton [2009] EWCA Crim 997; (2010) 1 WLR 650

Acted alone for Ms Campbell in her appeal by the Crown against the stay of her confiscation proceedings in the Crown Court owing to her inability to obtain legal representation by virtue of insufficient funding requirements being in place. Two other applications raising distinct but linked points were conjoined to Ms Campbell’s appeal.


R v Ekpulobi [2009] EWCA Crim 95

Successful appeal against sentence in which the Applicant had been bailed pending the application for leave to appeal. One of the grounds advanced on Mr Ekpulobi’s behalf focused on the defective procedure adopted by the sentencing Judge (particularly in regards to his refusal to allow the Defence to call factual witnesses in support of the basis of plea advanced by Mr Ekpulobi) leading to the Appeal Court taking the most unusual step of holding its own Newton Hearing to determine the correct factual basis on which Mr Ekpulobi was to be sentenced.


R v Reynolds, Honore & Others [2007] EWCA Crim 538; [2007] 4 All ER 368; [2007] WLR (D) 65, Crim LR 493; The Times, March 23, 2007

Appeared on behalf of the Appellant (Dean did not conduct the Crown Court hearing). Leading case on “dangerous offenders”; the ability of a Crown Court to adjourn proceedings following its rescission of a sentence under the slip rule; and the acceptance of the Court of Appeal that it had no power to increase sentence on appeal by an Appellant having regard to section 11 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968.


R v Tirnaveanu [2007] EWCA Crim 1239; [2007] All ER (D) 413 (May) [2007] WLR (D) 151; [2007] EWCA 4 All ER (D) 301; [2007] 2 Cr App R 23, [2007] 6 Archbold News 1; (2007) 171 JP 621; The Times, July 2, 2007

Appeal against conviction on behalf of the Appellant. Led Junior. Leading case on bad character, the meaning of “to do with” in section 98 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, the need for a clear and proper direction to the jury and the applicability of section 78 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 to the proposed admission of bad character. A leading recent authority on when a Brown [see Brown (Kevin) (1983) 79 Cr App R 115) direction is required regarding the need for unanimity of a jury’s decision as to a particular ingredient of an offence. The Appeal further dealt with the correct procedure to be followed where an offence is alleged to have been committed between a period covered by two different Acts.


R v G & W [2009] EWCA Crim 943

Appeared on behalf of the Applicant in a successful renewed application for leave to appeal against sentence in respect of a large scale drug case. Sentence reduced.


R v Zarzycki [2007] All ER (D) 12 (Nov)

Appeared on behalf of the Appellant in his successful appeal against sentence for an ABH where the cutting of a substantial portion of hair was the main basis for the charge.


Confiscation

Dean is particularly adept at undertaking large scale confiscation proceedings. He holds a joint 1st Class Law and Accountancy degree. He is able to cross-refer large volumes of material against figures relied upon by the Prosecution often identifying issues such as double-counting, misidentification/misapplication of the evidential burden as against the statutory assumptions and erroneous application of the law.

Judicial Review

Dean is instructed by large organisations and individuals to consider, represent, pursue and / or respond to judicial reviews.

His work within criminal, civil and quasi-criminal spheres assist in the approach to such cases.  The Directories have said: “praised by the market for his intellectual acumen and advocacy skills.”, described as a “class advocate”, “a mastermind” and “Always completely prepared and on top of his case”:

In 2021 he successfully responded to a judicial review brought by the Chief Constable of Somerset.  The case involved novel points of law and The Independent Officer for Police Conduct were permitted to intervene.   He has advised on numerous other judicial reviews in the context of bail, the lawfulness of warrants, privileged material, disciplinary results, police conduct, against the MOJ, the unlawful seizure of dogs under the Dangerous Dogs Act and other matters.

Notable judicial review cases


Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police, R (on the application of) v Police Misconduct Tribunal & Ors [2021] EWHC 1125 (Admin) (30 April 2021).

Successful response to the judicial review brought by the Chief Constable of Somerset who sought to overturn the result of one of their officers not being dismissed for gross misconduct following a disciplinary hearing.


R v X [2013-2014]

Highly sensitive case regarding a judicial review against the MOJ.


R (on the application of NB) v Central Criminal Court [2010] EWHC 667 Admin; CO /2308/2010; (2010) Crim LR 715; LTL 22/4/2010 High Court / Divisional Court [Admin Division]

Successful judicial review of the Judge’s decision to refuse bail in a high profile murder case. Bail was subsequently granted. Sole Junior.


R (on the application of Simon Jones) v Beverley Magistrates’ Court [2008]

Specifically drafted in to prepare a judicial review in relation to a driving conviction (Dean had not acted at first instance). The grounds resulted in the Respondent filing a Defence before the Administrative Court conceding that it had acted unlawfully and outside its powers. Sole Junior.


R (on the application of Johnson) v (1) Crown Court at Luton; (2) Chief Constable of Bedfordshire [2007]

Judicial Review application on behalf of Ms Johnson concerning the imposition of an ASBO, and the procedure to be adopted in the criminal courts in view of the civil nature of ASBOs. Led Junior.


R (on the application of Ahmet) v the Crown Court sitting at the Middlesex Guildhall [2005]

Successful judicial review on behalf of Mr Ahmet against the Crown Court’s decision to refuse bail in a £34,000,000 money laundering case. Mr Ahmet was subsequently granted bail.


Environmental

Dean has represented a number of organisations/persons accused of environmental breaches (including those relating to waste product, destruction of bat habitat and other such matters).

Military Law

Dean represented LCpl Cooley in the case involving soldiers allegedly forcing nationals to undertake compromising sex acts at Camp Breadbasket and other compromising positions (described as Britain’s Abu Ghraib equivalent). He has undertaken a wide variety of Courts-Martial cases both in the UK and Germany.

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