Practice

Criminal Practice, specialising in defence murder cases, as well as undertaking civil work, regulatory work and work relating to evidence production (in both Civil and Criminal Work).

Known as a direct forceful and competitive opponent, with a keen forensic mind, specialising in cases requiring effective cross-examination and pursuit of disclosure.

Serious Crime: Examples of Current Instructions

• Pentonville Prison Landing murder – Central Criminal court – fixed for September 2017 – 1^st on Indictment

• Wembley ‘drive by’ shooting murder (alleged drugs turf war) – Central Criminal Court –retrial pending, following ‘hung jury’, prosecution currently negotiating basis for manslaughter plea (as of March 2017)

• East End Revenge beating murder – concluded March 2017 with prosecution accepting manslaughter

• Barking ‘Custom house Gang’ gang warfare murder – concluded March 2017 with jury returning manslaughter verdict, representing defendant alleged to be responsible for multiple stabbing in street outside a primary school.

Serious Crime Cases: defence murders: example cases

• R v Owen-Brady – Central Criminal Court – Feb 2016 (acquittal) ‘Gumtree Robbery Murder’

• R v Marley Lucas – Central criminal Court – Dec 2015 (acquittal) – murder – successful self defence case after fatal stabbing to the chest

• R v Paul Clarke – Coventry Crown Court – Feb 2015 (conviction) Rugby gangland shooting murder

• R v Annie Merrilees – Central Criminal Court (acquittal) Oct 2014 – alleged murder of violent partner by photographic model.

• R v Aktar – Central Criminal Court – May 2014 (acquittal) murder and attempted murder by drive by motor cycle shooting. Mid trial acquittal arising from cross-examination revealing police manipulation of witness evidence (after which prosecution offered no evidence)

• R v Ferdinand – Central Criminal Court (conviction) April 2012 – group fighting leading to stabbing on housing estate

• R v Fyle – Southwark Crown court – September 2011 (conviction) – murder by strangulation of transgender prostitute.

• R v Oppong – Central Criminal Court – (acquittal following two hung juries) – 2011 and Mar – Sept 2012 defence of Trident ‘target criminal’ charged with triple shooting in crowded nightclub. Believed to be the longest murder trial at Central Criminal Court.

• R v Buahin – Central Criminal Court – April 2010 (acquittal)– shooting of man in public car park

• R v Mark Osbourne – Central Criminal Court – October 2008 to February 2009 (conviction) Machine gun killing in drug gang dispute.

• R v Kashif Khan – Central Criminal Court – Apil 2007 (acquittal) – murder by group beating and stabbing in Tooting streets.

In addition to the above, Michael Holland QC successfully prosecuted several murders at the Central Criminal Court in his first three years in silk, before specialising in defence work

Civil Work

Multiple appearances in civil Tax Tribunals in VAT cases. Cases include:

• Data Select (‘Dragon’ Peter Jones’ Company)

• Mobile Sourcing (against Geoffrey Cox QC) in First Tier and on Appeal.

• Multiple other VAT cases, typically involving tens of millions of tax.

These cases involve a detailed understanding of International ‘grey markets’ and Arbitrage opportunities, working with experts from firms such as PWC. 

Restraint and Confiscation

• R v Seiff – restraint proceedings following execution of search warrants at multiple safety deposit businesses. Over £20 million seized. Against Andrew Mitchell QC.

Financial Crime

• R v Downes (multi-million pound share fraud – NCA / City of London Police) (Sols Byrne and Byrne)

• R v Rybak and Hammond (multi-million International Procurement corruption trial – SFO case – against Mukul Chowla QC)

• R v Tilemachou – advice re multi-million property fraud involving professionals and banks.