Paul has an extensive leading junior practice with over 20 years' continuous experience at the Bar. He has successfully led in a number of large and complex trials involving organised crime. He regularly appears for the defence in serious fraud, drug conspiracies and murder cases. His ability to present complex financial evidence and issues to a jury in readily understandable terms ensures that he is always in demand. He is skilled in appearing in the Court of Appeal taking on matters relating to both sentence and conviction if it appears a case has gone wrong at trial level.
He has experience in representing clients through the intricacies of the Criminal Cases Review Commission. He leaves no stone unturned on behalf of clients.
Paul has many years’ experience of confiscation litigation which has evolved over the last two decades through statute and case law into the current Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA). Paul has extensive experience of "super grass" trials, including being involved in the first acquittal in the long-running series of long trials where the chief prosecution witness was the super grass Michael Michaels at the high security Crown Court at Woolwich.
Many of Paul's cases involve an international element and cross-border frauds, for example, R v B, a multi-handed fraud involving organised crime by defendants from Ukraine and involving over £6.9 million in repayments and R v H, a massive international identity fraud involving Eastern European defendants.
Paul is a capable advocate with a proven track record of presenting complex evidence to juries in terms that are easily understandable. He is known for commitment to defending those accused of crime and fully understands the impact of allegations on those accused.
Paul is noted for his ability to represent clients who have special challenges in the form of learning disabilities or infirmities related to mental or psychological impairment.
Paul is a dedicated and committed defence advocate with over 20 years of experience in the criminal justice system. He is committed to access to justice for each client irrespective of the offence or allegation. He has an enviable record of acquittals and always goes the extra mile for those he represents. He is known for his cross-examination of complex evidence, including expert evidence and his ability to assimilate the large body of evidence and his perseverance in ensuring that full and proper disclosure is made in each case.
Paul has a long and distinguished history of defending individuals accused of a whole range of criminal offences. Notable examples include:
R v S P
Allegations of complex multi-handed housing benefit fraud carried out over a period of 15 years and involving a sophisticated and professionally planned DSS fraud by several generations of the same family).
R v M Central Criminal Court
A manslaughter case involving complex issues of causation, which required extensive and very technical cross-examination of the Crown's pathologist at trial.
R v B Southwark Crown Court
A multi-handed fraud involving organised crime by defendants from Ukraine. The case concerned the use of HMRC online income tax self-assessment system to obtain fraudulent repayments of income tax. Over £6.9 million in repayments were fraudulently claimed by the conspirators. Over £3 million was paid into 690 bank accounts linked to and controlled by the conspiracy.
R v A_K Birmingham Crown Court
A retrial of a high-profile murder trial that had resulted in the conviction of the defendant in 2006 arising out of the notorious Aston riots in Birmingham. The Court of Appeal had ordered a retrial as a result of fundamental flaws in the prosecution disclosure process, which failed to reveal to the defence at the original trial the existence of exculpatory covertly recorded police cell conversations between the defendant and his cell mate. The jury acquitted the defendant at the retrial.
R v B Basildon Crown Court
A large multi-handed drugs conspiracy involving the importation and distribution of nearly four tons of cannabis: the case was a SOCA prosecution. Due to the size of the case and number of defendants the case management required two linked trials.
R v S Southwark Crown Court
A sophisticated fraud involving the fraudulent selling of over £1 million worth of airline tickets from within a properly licensed travel agency specifically targeted and purchased by the conspirators to avoid the regulatory regime designed to protect the airlines from such frauds.
R v H Wood Green Crown Court
A massive international identity fraud involving East European defendants which, according to the Judge, was at least on a scale equivalent to the leading sentencing authority on identity fraud: R v Velev.
R v R Central Criminal Court (2008)
A high-profile murder case. It involved a large-scale urban/public disorder where two rival London gangs fought a battle on the streets, which resulted in the death of one leading gang member and the near death of a second. It was one of the very first cases to require the practical application of the House of Lords decision in R v Davis (June 2008) involving witness anonymity. Legislation is passed in consequence of that landmark case. In Rookwood, there were 34 anonymous prosecution witnesses some of whom were potentially of assistance to the defence.
R v N and Others Southwark Crown Court (2008)
A large multi-handed trial in which the defendants were alleged to be involved in international organised crime. The defendants were a gang of Sri Lankans with alleged links to the Tamil Tigers who were engaged in a multi-million pound global credit card conspiracy to defraud the clearing banks of the United Kingdom. When a fellow Sri Lankan refused to join the conspiracy he was allegedly kidnapped and held to ransom. Over the course of several days he was allegedly tortured and threatened with death. The hostage was eventually released in a sting operation by armed police who recovered guns from the gang’s stronghold. At trial, the indictment was stayed after a voir dire lasting six weeks, and involving live evidence from senior CPS lawyers, when the trial judge ruled that a fair trial was impossible because the prosecution’s disclosure process was flawed.
LLB (Hons)
Paul is accredited to accept work under Direct access, also known as Public access, in suitable cases. In order to instruct Paul on a Direct access basis, contact the clerks on +44 (0) 20 7242 6476 or at clerks@33bedfordrow.co.uk.