Fraud/Customs & Excise-Revenue & Customs prosecutions/Money laundering

R v U and others [2005] Southwark Crown Court/Royal Courts of Justice

At the time, the largest and most expensive case ever prosecuted by HMRC (circa £110m alleged cheat).

The case collapsed amid serious allegations of misconduct against senior customs officials and lawyers and after several months of abuse of process arguments, was stayed prominently in the High Court in 2005.

R v W and others [2006] Wood Green Crown Court

Historic inward duty evasion prosecution - contemporaneous with LCB. The case was stayed at Wood Green Crown Court in December 2006. The value of the cheat on the Revenue was alleged to be £53m and the case had been seven years in preparation..

R v C & others [2007] Southwark Crown Court

Attempt to defraud the Bank of England of £180m. Largest ever seizure of counterfeit notes. Legal arguments successfully leading to direction to jury to return not guilty verdicts in December 2007.

R v P [2002]

This case received widespread national publicity and involved transactions surrounding what was been coined ‘the most expensive house in Britain' (circa £70m). The prosecution (‘Operation Stockade') was one of the largest ever undertaken by HM Customs and Excise, and involved what was considered one of the largest VAT frauds relating to alcohol and tobacco.

The Crowns' case was that Mr P was a willing collaborator with others in the laundering of money obtained through the defrauding of HM Customs and Excise. Millions of pounds were invested in the reconstruction of Updown Court, the Crown's case being that these monies were the unlawful proceeds of crime. In addition, the Crown referred to various transactions involving the purchase and resale of a yacht, which took place under the auspices of the Lamborghini franchise in Monaco.

After successful arguments that there existed no evidence establishing a diversion fraud (allegations which involved transactions through LCB) all proceedings were discontinued.

R v P [2001]

Trial of UK businessman accused of mis-selling time-share properties in Teneriffe - alleged loss of £30m.

Warcrimes

R v S

The only ‘War Crime' trial in the UK centred on the prosecution of an elderly man who was said to have played an active role in Nazi Belarus 52 years previously. Necessitated extensive enquiries in Eastern Europe and in trawling through historical documents to defend a case that was prosecuted by an entire police department and which took eight years to prepare. The matter ended up in the European Court of Human Rights and remains a key test case that established a number of authorities.

Drug importation and production

R v P

Trial centred around what, at the time, was the largest single importation of cocaine from the Caribbean into the UK.

R v E

A scientist accused of manufacturing the largest amount of MDMA (‘ecstasy') seized in the UK, the Defendant had to accept manufacturing the drug, but said that he had done so inadvertently following a wrong chemical route due to defective testing agents. The burden of proof was on him to prove his innocence and the defence did so by calling expert organic chemists who were able to demonstrate the inadequacies in the prosecution's scientific evidence and methods of evidence gathering.

R v M

The biggest seizure in the UK (700kgs of cocaine) - featured in television a documentary "Cocaine or coconuts".

Murder

R v P

Complex ‘contract killing' case where Mr P was acquitted of murdering a prominent underworld figure. The police took five years to prepare the case which centred on complicated forensic evidence and which necessitated us instructing experts in the field of fibres, fabric dye, DNA, ballistics, gunshot residue and podiatry.

Extradition

US v C

Prominent extradition matter brought under recently ratified Extradition Treaty between the US and UK. Mr C faces trial on conspiracy to defraud US shareholders of an estimated 5 billion dollars and his case has been debated in Parliament. We have been in negotiations with the Department of Justice for a number of years and continue to challenge the controversial law under which Mr C has been sent to the US.

O v The Republic of Turkey [2001] EWHC Admin 1142

Habeas corpus and successfully contested extradition.

Medical negligence/manslaughter

R v P [2006] Leeds Crown Court

Still the only criminal prosecution in this country for medical negligence manslaughter arising out of an incorrect blood transfusion. Mr P was a bio medical scientist, employed in a pathology laboratory in a private hospital who made some errors when conducting a manual blood grouping test. This led to the victim receiving an incompatible blood transfusion and dying. Case involved the most eminent experts in this highly specialised medical field giving evidence as to the way pathology laboratories in the nhs and private sector are run. The prosecution offered no evidence after eight days.

Sexual offences

R v W

Trial of serial rapist, significant and ground-breaking case in respect of DNA evidence. One of the most prolific serial rapists ever. Conviction in relation to eight attacks.

Poisoning

R v D [2007]

Successful defence at trial of Daily Telegraph journalist accused with administering diazepam to female dinner party guests with the intention to commit sexual activity.