Crime

Nature of Practice:

Hugh is a senior criminal practitioner with a "heavyweight" caseload. For many years he has been instructed in all areas of crime including violence, serious fraud/confiscation, drugs, road traffic, health and safety, trading standards and police discipline. He has defended in a number of high-profile cases involving allegations of violence and in recent years has been involved in a number of lengthy and complex fraud trials. He has also prosecuted and defended in a number of health and safety related cases primarily where a death has occurred. He has accumulated a wealth of experience in criminal law and appears alone and led both for the prosecution and defence. Noted in the legal 500 as having 'wide fraud experience'.

Noteworthy Cases:

Operation Ernest 2011: Leicester CC. Junior alone. Successful defence of a Financial Director in a fraud where £110 dishonestly obtained and the exposure was £53 million when the fraud was discovered.

Operation Fade 2011: Preston CC. Junior for the Crown in an evidentially very complex murder where the body of the deceased has never been found. Complex Casework Unit, Lancashire CPS.

Operation Installbox 2011: Manchester CC. Junior alone defending in a multi-handed alcohol diversion fraud.

R v Davidson & others 2010: Manchester CC. Junior alone defending in multi-handed local authority fraud concerning contracts for the removal of waste material.

Operation Minerva 2010: Leading Junior for the Crown in a multi-handed trial concerning robberies of cash-in-transit vans and the shooting of a guard during one of those robberies. CPS Lancashire.

Operation Emersed 2005 - 2006: Multi-million pound missing trader fraud. (Defence).

Operation Shepherd 2005: Multi-million pound missing trader fraud. (Defence).

Operation Fulcrum 2005: Multi-million pound diversion fraud. (Defence).

Regina v Thai Anh Nham and others 10 week Murder. 2002.

Operation Cowhead 2002: Regina v Lopera Pacheo and others. Four month multi-million pound diversion fraud. (Defence).

Regina v Chuni 2002: EWCA Crim 453. Court of Appeal Confiscation. (Defence).

Regina v Woodgate, Bowyer and others 2001: Defence junior for Woodgate at trial and in the retrial.

Operation Techo 1999-2002: Regina v Lewington and others. Eight month £40m diversion fraud and money laundering. Defence junior at trial. Alone at the Court of Appeal when conviction quashed due to material non-disclosure by HMCE.

Re Charlton 1994 RTR 133. Tachograph/Driver's hours. (Prosecution).

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