As of April 2025 Giles Cockings KC continues his success rate of the last few years and twice more in 2025 achieves Not Guilty verdicts in further consecutive long running cases. This takes his recent tally to 10 acquittals of long running profile cases within the last 2 years
Giles Cockings KC is a seasoned Silk who has consolidated his position as a top rated barrister and has achieved an outstanding 7 consecutive murder acquittals in 7 consecutive trials over the last 2 years alone, along with acquittals in 2 further attempted murders during the same period. This was topped off with a 10th consecutive acquittal in an OCG Drugs related kidnap in April 2025 after another 3-month trial, the facts of which could have come straight from a Guy Ritchie film.
See Recent Cases – link below
He has been involved in over 70 murder cases within the last 30 years, reaching successful conclusions in the vast majority. His repeated success rate of not guilty verdicts over the last few years and in the many high-profile cases is a testament to his hard work and preparation.
Equally at home with financial fraud – he is one of the few recommended as leading a Silk in both crime and criminal fraud within both Chambers & Partners and Legal 500. He has been rated in the publications for 16 consecutive years.
Appointed to Queen’s Counsel in 2016. Regularly instructed in some of the most serious cases at the Old Bailey and other UK courts, his practice encompasses Murder, Financial (white-collar) fraud, MTIC, insider dealing, investment fraud, City regulation, money laundering, and large scale drug operations. He has established a reputation for exceptional advocacy, trial strategy and meticulous preparation along with a no-nonsense but ever courteous approach.
‘Giles Cockings KC is a brilliant advocate and a superb tactician. He is highly recommended.’ – Legal 500, 2025 (Crime, Leading Silk)
“Giles Cockings KC is one of the brightest at the Bar and a fantastic advocate.” “He always gives the very best to his clients and is a passionate and highly skilled advocate who will fight to the end for his client.” – Chambers & Partners Publication UK, 2025
“Giles Cockings KC is an outstanding barrister, highly intelligent and exceptionally hardworking. He …. advances his client’s case with a tactical precision that is second to none. His ability to combine rapier-like skill with wit, humour and charm makes him a devastating opponent”. (Leading Silks) (Legal 500 – 2022)
“He’s very pleasant to deal with, very fair-minded and very professional.” (C&P – 2020)
“His eye for detail and ability to engage with a jury is spell binding.” (Legal 500 – 2017)
Regularly requested to lead juniors from other chambers and solicitor advocates from numerous firms of solicitors in many serious and complex multi handed, cut-throat cases of financial fraud, violence, drugs and money laundering. He has been involved in many diverse cases from the Inquest of “the 20th Century Greatest Spy” (Movie: The Angel”); the Honey trap murders (TV Documentary); London Fields Gang cases (TV Top Boy) to the Hatton Garden Heist (movie); The Modern British Slave Trade (TV documentary); You & Yours (BBC) and “Fraud and its interrelationship with the financial services sector in the UK”.
Giles Cockings KC has an extensive track record in financial crime both in prosecution and defence. Areas of specialism within this area include SFO/ FCA/ CPS/HMRC prosecutions: All facets of Director’s Fraud; Banking Fraud, Tax Fraud; Insider Dealing, Mortgage Fraud, MTIC/carousel, VAT, “boiler room”, advance fee, diversion, investment & corporate fraud; Bribery & Corruption (allegations and avoidance) – many of them involving cross-jurisdictional elements.
He successfully defended in the largest attempted currency fraud to be perpetrated against the Bank of England prosecuted by the re-named Central Fraud Group and was subsequently instructed to successfully prosecute for them in a multi-million pound “Madoff type” investment fraud against eminent silks and in subsequent mortgage frauds.
Advised and defended in Swedish Credit Union Fraud involving extensive cross-jurisdictional issues (Spain & USA)
He has recently advised & defended a number of Company Directors accused of financial fraud, both within the private sector and PLC’s. These cases have ranged from internal accountancy issues prior to flotation, to issues of bribery and corruption, manipulation of markets through to the high yield banking lending frauds borne out of the commission culture within the City before the economic crash.
Defended the main defendant, the Managing Director of a PLC accused of a £39 million property/ banking fraud. This white-collar defendant faced 104 allegations, 83 professional witnesses and cut-throat defences from other defendants, each blaming “the Boss”.
Having previously worked within the Stock Exchange, Giles Cockings KC’ expertise extends to the workings of the financial markets, specialised accountancy fraud and other complex City frauds, where his full understanding of banking operations, career experience in the financial markets and interest in regulatory work and FCA legislation come into their own.
He is a master of disclosure and is well versed in City culture. He has been responsible for unearthing huge disclosure abuses perpetrated by the Banks, and other City Institutions, that have occurred when a ‘scape-goat’ director/ officer of the company, faces prosecution. These have ranged from the destruction of potential evidence; financial documents to email traffic; ‘coincidental’ server replacement to ‘software glitches’ – all, at times, used to protect the position of the banks.
He was responsible in cases for unearthing the ‘Global Restructuring Group’ practice that was rife within some Banking organisations. These included finance houses, having driven client companies into administration then selling client assets into their own wholly owned subsidiaries for profit.
Successfully defended the Managing Director of an alcohol bonded warehouse in relation to allegations of diversion fraud and corruption within the HMRC. The Crown relied upon covert surveillance and extensive probe evidence. Through cross examination & attention to detail he established that HMRC had investigated on a false premise & the defendant was in fact a victim of corruption & not a conspirator. He was duly acquitted. He was also counsel of choice when defending in Operation ‘Close-knit’ another substantial diversion fraud.
Recent cases also include: Defending Company Director in multi-million Factoring Fraud within the Renewables Industry; Defended Company Director in a £100 million tax fraud; Defended Company Director in multi-million Corporate Fraud – again within the Renewables Industry – Corporation Tax; VAT & PAYE
He has also recently defended the Managing Director of a London Hedge Fund and a Director of a Property Development Company, both for high yield investment frauds and both widely reported cases in the Press.
His experience of DPA’s; confiscation, restraint, and asset seizure cases extends across all areas of fraud and economic crime.
‘Giles Cockings KC is an expert negotiator, and is particularly well suited to large-scale fraud cases. He works incredibly hard………. His advocacy is fine-tuned and to the point.’
Legal 500, 2025 (Fraud: Crime – Leading Silk)
“His eye for detail and ability to engage with a jury is spell binding.” (Legal 500)
Giles Cockings KC is an outstanding barrister, highly intelligent and exceptionally hardworking. He sees the bigger picture in any trial, and advances his client’s case with a tactical precision that is second to none. His ability to combine rapier-like skill with wit, humour and charm makes him a devastating opponent. (Leading Silks, Legal 500 – 2024)
Criminal silk experienced in the prosecution and defence of financial crime cases. He is acknowledged for his ability when tackling the most substantial fraud cases (C&P – 2020-25)
“An outstanding barrister – he is highly intelligent.” (C&P – 2023)
“Eloquent and tactically astute…” (Legal 500)
“He’s very pleasant to deal with, very fair-minded and very professional.” “He is a pleasure to work with.” (C&P – 2022)
“A great advocate who shows real nous when dealing with forensic accounting evidence.” “He’s very pleasant to deal with, very fair-minded and very professional.” (C&P – 2020)
His experience over the years in violent crime cases has included over 70 major murder trials and a similar number of attempted murders, reaching successful conclusions in 90%. Here his experience includes contract killings, cultural and abuse-led revenge killings, gang warfare, financially driven murders, psychopathy, loss of control and ‘single punch’ deaths. He is experienced in the use of cell site evidence, blood splatter, ballistics, mass spectroscopy, pathology and DNA. He has also appeared in manslaughter, armed robbery, conspiracy to rob, kidnap, firearms and terrorism cases, and has experience of shaken baby syndrome and issues of medical causation.
In 2025 Giles Cockings KC continues his success rate and twice more achieves acquittals in further consecutive long running cases. From November 2024 until January 2025 Giles Cockings KC leading Kane Sharpe of Furnival Chambers, achieves acquittals on Murder in a multi- four handed cut-throat case. Novel aspects of law litigated including the use of S114(1)(d) to adduce parts of recorded prison calls from one defendant against another; substantial CCTV and extensive forensics.
Following on from that acquittal, Giles Cockings KC leads Kerry Moore of 15 NBS from February 2025 to April 2025 to achieve yet further acquittals for the principal defendant in a 5 handed Organised Crime Group Kidnap, the facts of which would feel at home within a Guy Ritchie film. Extensive cross examination of DNA experts and dogmatic disclosure requests unveiled the true protagonists leading to the hard fought – but ‘just’ – Not Guilty verdicts.
His repeated success rate over the last few years and in the many high profile cases is a testament to his hard work and preparation.
Recent examples of Drugs crime include acting in connection with four of the largest alleged importations of Class A drugs (Cocaine & Heroin) into the United Kingdom in recent years, both as lead and leading counsel. Recent drugs related cases also include: Operation Mustard; Operation Bednorth; Operation Sascombe; Operation Rangan and Operation Mikra.
He has been leading counsel in four of the most significant Modern Slavery Cases to have been prosecuted in the UK.
He was leading counsel for one of the main defendants in the much publicised “Gypsy Slavery Trials”, defending in the first prosecution for Slavery in the UK since the early 19th Century (R -v- Connors). It was new law with no UK legal precedent. Allegations made that homeless men were being ensnared and held against their will under threat of violence. Heads were shaved, and they were given overalls to ‘de-humanise’ and to erode their personal autonomy before being put to work. It is the leading UK authority under S71 Coroners & Justice Act 2009. Subsequent submissions on areas before the Court of Appeal have now been incorporated into the new legislation on this area, the Modern Slavery Act 2015. He was then later instructed for one of the main defendants in the 5 trials arising from Operation Pottery (R -v- Rooney & others) and also as leading counsel in Operation Marathon (R-v-Joyce & Boiling & others) – all allegations of Modern Slavery & Fraud involving the Travelling Community. He was also leading counsel for the main defendant in Operation Cardinas – Financial fraud and exploitation within the UK Construction Industry arising out of an initial European Slavery Investigation. Multi million pound industry trafficking Romanian Nationals into the UK to work within the construction, many companies of which were FTSE 100. Joint investigation with Europol. Issues went to the heart of the lack of regulation within the UK Construction Industry.
In the area of sexual offences, his extensive experience includes Operation Goldsmith, involving the highly-publicised Welsh National Children’s’ Home historic abuse allegations: He acted in the only trial of 12 in which any defendant was acquitted.
Although now predominantly a defence practitioner, Giles Cockings KC has also been graded by the Government as Category 4, being the top category for prosecutors.
As the only lawyer within a medical family he has a keen interest in Coroners Inquests. He has been involved in a number of high-profile inquests ranging from deaths within NHS and issues of medical care to the high-profile inquest in 2010 surrounding the death of Dr Ashraf Marwan whom the press reported as being the most infamous alleged double agent for Israel & Egypt during the Yom Kippur war. He has also appeared in a number of Courts-Martial across the country for the Armed Forces.
He has represented professionals facing disciplinary action in the field of medicine/dentistry and has a burgeoning interest in the fields of corporate manslaughter; financial regulatory investigations and D&O liability.
Called upon by the legal profession to defend their own, he has represented a number of solicitors of the Supreme Court who have found themselves charged with high yield fraud by the SFO. Recently successfully defending one of the commercial partners of a well-known Legal 500 firm in a £65 million mortgage fraud, and subsequently successfully representing a partner of another solicitors’ firm accused of defrauding the Olympic Development Authority. Both acquitted. He was instructed to represent a firm of solicitors, with the involvement of the Law Society, in relation to Wasted Costs and the interpretation of S6 Criminal Procedure Investigation Act 1996 and the drafting of defence statements. It is a leading authority.
2025
Operation Mustard: R-v-Karl Williams. 3 month trial. Conspiracy to Kidnap – Represented main defendant; Head of OCG, allegation of kidnap with firearms and torture. Abducted at night, bag over head, pistol whipped, boot of car, driven across counties to abandoned barn, handcuffed and strapped to tractor, tortured. Extensive DNA analysis; Cell Site, ANPR and CCTV. Cut throat. Acquitted
Operation Bednorth: R-v-Sean Stewart: 3 month joint enterprise Murder. Cut-throat. Novel aspects of law litigated including the use of S114(1)(d) to adduce parts of recorded prison calls from one defendant against another; substantial CCTV and extensive forensics. Acquitted Murder.
R-v- GAJ (2024) Gangland teenage murder – Revenge attack. Multi handed 4 defendants. Myriad CCTV evidence of full gang chase around the streets of North London with a volume of people visibly brandishing machetes. Expert CCTV analysis; Forensics; Telephone/ voice note evidence’ grime lyrics; prison calls and gang matrix bad character. Acquitted Murder.
R v Briken Quni (2024) Execution of head of Albanian drugs cartel in North London, Ergys Koci known as Tony Montana, named after the Al Pacino Character in the film Scarface. Defendant ex Albanian Military. Death caused by 12 fatal of claw hammer crushing the skull multiple times – each capable of fatality followed by 28 stab wounds to the heart with a 21 inch knife. Attempts to conceal body. Acquitted Murder.
Operation Hobgem (2024) : R-v-Lynch. Firearm related Attempted Murder; connection to Chadd Green Gang. Ballistics; cell site; CCTV; ID witnesses. Acquitted Attempted Murder.
R-v-DM (2024). Attempted Murder. Knives and Hammer. Acquitted Attempted Murder.
R v SA (Ceesay and Others) (2023): Gangland multi-handed murder x 1 and Attempted murder of two others at the Old Bailey. Triple victim. Case involved revenge led targeted killing of opposing gang leaders in North London. Ride-Out Shooting. Acquitted when other defendants convicted. Recognised by all teams as ‘stellar performance of good old fashioned cross examination’ and best speech on the case. Hundreds of hours of CCTV necessitated time consuming analysis to separate defendants. Acquitted Murder & Attempted Murder.
R v Cleon Brown and others (2023): Honey Trap Murders. Became part of TV Documentary aired on television in Spring 2023. Two Women lured male victims with offers of sex into state of insecurity utilising GHB Rohypnol date rate drugs before male associates came to steal Rolex watches, Mercedes motor cars and high value items. This culminated in brutal murder when victim awoke from the drug. Death caught on CCTV security cameras. Mass blood spectrology and scene of crime described as ‘akin to an abattoir’ owing to voluminous blood. Cutthroat defences. Acquitted Murder
Operation Sascombe (2023): R-v- Nicholson. Multi Handed Murder. Gang/ Drug related shooting in Islington North London. Issues of CCTV; Cell Site; Ballistics. Acquitted Murder
R-v-RN (2023) . Murder. Issues of Pathology and Neuro Pathology. Acquitted Murder
Other cases:
R-v-Luis Jordan (‘Goldie’): Drugs OCG; Allegations Violence; Kidnap; Historic Murder; Attempted Murder – evidence from established criminals with motive. Acquitted
R-v- Cocker Dawkins: Drugs related multi handed machete murder. Issues of CCTV ANPR and Cell Site. Acquitted
Operation Aspeet. London Fields Gang. Associated Top Boy TV adaptation. Attempted Murder – firearms. Hung Jury.
R-v-IK – Murder. Drugs and Gang related background. Co-defendant absconded out of UK. Issues of Cell Site and CCTV. Previous History.
R-v-Koudoua (Woodward; Lamzini & Ors): 6 month multi handed murder. Cut-throat. Only defendant acquitted of Murder
Operation Rangan – 6 month trial for primary 1st defendant in multi defendant trial. Allegations of Fraud; Drugs Manufacture; Drug Supply; Money Laundering.
Operation Red Wezen I & II: Multi Million Factoring Fraud within Renewables Industry. Represented Company Director.
Op Banjax. HMRC VAT prosecution re missing traders & buffer companies. EU imports of alcohol into 25 UK companies, creation of false VAT reclaims of approx. £100m, consequent laundering of proceeds through companies overseas. Voluminous & highly complicated.
Operation Festival. Represented Director of Multi million pound fraud – Corporation Tax; VAT & PAYE. 4 companies over a 5 year period.
Operation Cassandra: Represented principal defendant, the Managing Director, of a well- known Property Development Company in £39 million Property Investment fraud perpetrated against RBS, RSA & Cheltenham & Gloucester. 24 Count Indictment, involving complex issues of Banking Law, Insolvency, Conveyancing and Asset Tracing. Unearthed evidence of the controversial RBS practice of its global restructuring group (GRG) selling client’s assets into own wholly owned subsidiary, West Register for its own profit. This is a particularly significant case for the above reasons, and the fact that it was one of the triggers into government investigation into Bank’s use-age of GRG’s; and brought down a large firm of solicitors in its’ wake. Involved cross examination of 80 live witnesses.
- Memberships: CBA, South Eastern Circuit, Hon Soc Middle Temple
- Chambers Pupil Supervisor
- Middle Temple Award Winner
- Author of; “CPIA: Issues of Disclosure”
R v Ceesay and Others (2023): Gangland multi-handed murder at the Old Bailey. Double victim. Case involved revenge led targeted killing of opposing gang leaders in North London. Ride-Out Shooting. Acquitted when other defendants convicted. Recognised by all teams as ‘stellar performance of good old fashioned cross examination’ and best speech on the case. Hundreds of hours of CCTV necessitated time consuming analysis to separate defendants. Multiple eyewitnesses; forensic issues of DNA, telephone and cell site. Received commendation for conduct of the case. News story here
R v Briken Quni (2021): Horrific execution of head of Albanian drugs cartel in North London, Ergys Koci known as Tony Montana – named after the Al Pacino Character in the film Scarface. Defendant ex Albanian military. Death caused by 12 fatal claw hammer impacts, crushing the skull multiple times – each capable of fatality followed by 28 stab wounds to the heart with a 21-inch knife. Attempts to conceal body. Case called for extensive cross examination of pathologist and multiple witnesses. Issues of loss of control and self-defence. Defendant acquitted of murder. Received commendation for conduct of the case. News story here
R v Giovanni Addae Johnson & Others (2023): Gangland multi-handed youth murder. Revenge attack targeted at private party in North London. Culminated in massive street knife brawl. Hours of CCTV documented gangs of youths all brandishing knives/ zombie knives/ machetes etc., Expert evidence of CCTV analysis and timings utilised; telephone cell site/ voice notes/ grime lyrics. Acquitted of murder. Other defendants convicted. News story here
R v Cleon Brown and others (2023): Honey Trap Murders. Became part of TV Documentary aired on television in Spring 2023. Two Women lured male victims with offers of sex into state of insecurity utilising GHB Rohypnol date rate drugs before male associates came to steal Rolex watches, Mercedes motor cars and high value items. This culminated in brutal murder when victim awoke from the drug. Death caught on CCTV security cameras. Mass blood spectrology and scene of crime described as ‘akin to an abattoir’ owing to voluminous blood. Cutthroat defences. Acquitted of murder when other defendants were convicted. News story here
R v Oliver Muldowney (2023): Murder driven by jealous rage in public street as school children exited schools. Muldowney murdered his wife’s lover in Richmond upon Thames. Background of drugs. Defendant was a drug dealer, victim an addict. Complicated by perverting the course of justice and attempts to cover up the scene and go on the run. Multiple cross examination of eyewitnesses; CCTV and recordings of previous rage outbursts; bad character/ hearsay and cell site analysis. News story here
