Laban Leake

A defence practitioner, Laban Leake is experienced in all areas of criminal law including white collar fraud and money laundering but with particular emphasis on violence and large scale drug conspiracies. His practice is not confined to the south east but ranges south west to Cornwall, north to Newcastle and west into Wales with Courts Martial experience in both the UK, Cyprus and Germany.

Recent cases in 2012 have included Prison Mutiny, Violent Disorder and Arson concerning the HMP Ford riots involving issues of mistaken identity and hostile witnesses. A case followed by a Conspiracy to Cultivate Cannabis on an industrial scale with its accompanying issues of forensics and bad character which were negotiated to a successful submission of no case to answer.

During 2011, Laban Leake appeared as both leading counsel in a large scale mortgage fraud conspiracy and as junior counsel in both a conspiracy to supply class A drugs and also as junior for the prosecution in a conspiracy to both import and supply class A drugs: Both cases required experience of cell site and telephone analysis and involved factual issues of observation and probe evidence.

Laban Leake has experience across the board of cases of violence from bar room brawls to murder including single blow causation and baby shaking, kidnap, robbery and sexual offences comprising both rape and indecent assaults both current and historic and encompassing issues of double jeopardy revolving around advances in DNA analysis. Exceptionally, Laban Leake conducted a successful abuse argument resulting in a stay of prosecution concerning a case of historic abuse reaching back 45 years involving two sibling complainants on a 26 count indictment.

Recent significant cases

April 2012 Leicester Crown Court R v J conspiracy to cultivate cannabis. Industrial production. Issues included admissibility of evidence under s78 PACE, bad character, forensic evidence (finger print, DNA, telephone and computer) and a successful submission of no case to answer.

March 2012 Court of Appeal & Reading Crown Court R v MG double jeopardy historic rape with accompanying issues of DNA analysis.

January 2012 Hove Crown Court R v R Prison mutiny, violent disorder and arson concerning the New Year’s eve prison riots at HMP Ford. Issues of mistaken identity and hostile witnesses.

October 2011 Isleworth Crown Court R v K kidnap involving the father removing his daughter to Pakistan against the wishes of his Wife.

September 2011 Teeside Crown Court R v L leading counsel mortgage fraud conspiracy representing the facilitating broker. Issues including telephone contact, fraudulent documentation and money laundering.

August 2011 Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court R v M Indecent assaults involving military cadets on exercises in Wales.

March 2011 Newcastle Crown Court junior counsel conspiracy to supply class A. Issues of cell site and telephone analysis and observation evidence.

January 2011 Croydon Crown Court R v W & others junior counsel for the prosecution in this major conspiracy to import and supply class A drugs smuggled into the Uk via Turkey. Issues including cell site and telephone analysis, covert observation evidence, disclosure and public interest immunity.

December 2010 Luton Crown court R v J junior counsel murder by strangulation involving the Somali community. Issues DNA and mental health fitness to plead. Appeal involved research into chronological aging of living subjects (potentially useful where the Defendant’s age was disputed and a determinate sentence of 20 years was arguably a de facto life sentence for a male in his late 60’s). research led to forensic odontology, its possibilities, restrictions and ethics.

November 2010 Southwark Crown Court R v J Indecent assaults on two schoolgirls in the West End of London. Issues of mistaken identity, in this matter which attracted judicial comment of “… a superb defence from Mr Leake” and “an example of the Bar at its best.”

Other notable cases

R v Lumba (2005)
The largest seizure of class A drugs in Leicester.

R v Lee (2005)
The much publicised conspiracy to remove and export large quantities of military hardware from ABRO Donnington.

R v Mentore (2004)
Prosecuting junior in a multi-million pound conspiracy to rob. The case was wholly dependent on mobile telephone and cell site analysis.

R v Rees (2003)
Case involving the largest wholesale drugs distribution network in South Wales.