Called to the Bar 1980/Middle Temple
Recorder

Education

• Keele BA (Hons)

Areas of Practice

Criminal Law

He has wide experience in all types of criminal cases and specialises in all forms of serious violence, including murder, frauds (involving professionals), drugs (supply and importation), adult sexual cases and the abuse of children. Level 4 prosecutor (including rape panel).
Attended training in prosecuting serious sexual offences and in the use of intermediaries to assist vulnerable witnesses.
Civil specialities include building contracts, professional negligence, clinical negligence, actions against the Police, personal injuries and employment law.

Recent Cases

Fraud

• R v Bell - Prosecution of a Chartered Surveyor defrauding the Valuation Office Executive (local government tax collectors for the Uniform Business Rate). Value of fraud over £1 million. First prosecution of a Chartered Surveyor in the Inland Revenue’s history.
• R v Pinchbeck and Oprey - Prosecution of hotel manager and financial director of a National Hotel Chain (Queens Moat House Hotels). Fraudulent use of Hotels’ resources to fund his activities as a promoter of National events at the Harrogate International Conference Centre.
• R v Boid & others - Defence fraud. Pet food grade chicken and other poultry products introduced into the human food chain. Large scale operation. Value approximately £3 million.
• R v Hadi - Iraq nationals using American company to manufacture holograms for inclusion on passports from Iraq which are then used to effect entry into the U.K. of asylum seekers.
• Operation Master - Prosecution of two head teachers and ancilliary staff for a widespread fraud over 6 years.

Murder

• R v Gaffney & others - Prosecution of four defendants charged with execution of a police informant after a long investigation into his whereabouts. Cut throat defence.
• R v Butler - Slow burn provocation. Comprehensive assessment of the ‘battered woman syndrome’.
• R v Johnson - Defendant gives birth to three healthy babies over a period of three years in secret. Immediately disposes of them. Complicated assessments of a hitherto undocumented psychological syndrome.
• R v Butters - Comprehensive review of the concept of an abnormality of mind for the purposes of diminished responsibility as a defence being caused by withdrawal from legally prescribed drugs.
• R v McCann - Racially aggravated murder in prison.

Drugs

• R v Howard - Importation of lorry loads of cannabis from Spain. Covert police operation. Covert police tapes and intercepted telephone calls. Home office guidelines.
• Operation Titanic - Large scale police operation. Targeting Class A drug suppliers. Covert tape recordings and videos. Informants and test buyers. PII.

Adult sex

• R v McCormack - Prosecution of a burglar who breaks into complainants flat late at night. Complainant alone with 7 year old daughter. Multiple rape of complainant. Sexual assault of daughter. Sentence life imprisonment.
• R v Allinson - Multiple rape.

Child abuse

• Boys Brigade leader. Abuse and buggery of boys in his care. Prolonged period of about 6 years. Gross breach of trust.
• R v Wahab - Four complainants ranging from 5 to 13. Continual abuse over six year period. Multiple rape of 11 year old.
• R v Jones, Jones and Jones - Uncle persuades his two nephews to multiple rape his niece. Defences of duress.

Violence

• R v Doneathy - Attempted murder. Execution style shooting by one professional fighter of another business rival.
• R v Cardmen & others - Multiple armed robberies involving the use of firearms. Large police covert operation.
• R v Straw - Kidnapping and false imprisonment of ex-girlfriend. Over three days episodes of extreme violence and rape.

Professional Membership

• North Eastern Circuit