Red Lion Chambers

VIDEO: "Introducing Red Lion Chambers" We mark the first refurbishment of 18 Red Lion Court in 25 years with our new video “Introducing Red Lion Chambers” showing: – The services offered by one of the leading criminal sets at the Bar- 18 RLC and our annexe in Chelmsford – Why members choose RLC as their professional home – Our academic and legal expertise which includes editing legal publications such as “Archbold” and “Blackstone’s” and writing for periodicals and other works – How we ensure wellbeing throughout our working lives for all members with support, supervision, monitoring and creative activities – Our support for nurturing and promoting women at the Bar including wellbeing support and talks on topics such as the menopause – What makes a good pupil? #Chambers #CrimeSet #LondonChambers #Chelmsford #Essex #Suffolk #Refurbishment #SeriousCrime #BusinessCrime #FinancialCrime #Inquiries #Inquests #Regulatory #JourneysToTheBar #AccessToTheBar #WellBeing #MentalHealth #Inclusion #Diversity #Pupillage #PupillageFair2023 #LegalAcademia #LegalMedia #WomenAtTheBar #CriminalBarrister #Tier1CrimeSet #Tier1 #ClerkingTeam #Clerks #TheBar Learn more about us below:

*The Fraud Newsletter* The Fraud Newsletter is out now summarising the latest developments in fraud from December 2024 including: -New cases on media reporting and hearsay - An important new report on the role of financial incentives for whistle-blowers - News from the fraud world - a new City of London Police domestic corruption unit; SFO and FCA arrests and the NCA brings down a $multi-billion Russian money laundering network. Read Dec newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eUUbK-wC The Fraud newsletter is compiled by Faras Baloch, Andrew Herd and Francesca Kirby. Please subscribe here to receive your monthly updates: https://lnkd.in/eXkcaQKp #FraudNewsletter #DecFraudNews #News&Updates #BusinessCrime #NCA #SFO #FinancialCrime #MonthlyUpdate #MoneyLaundering #Fraud

Christmas and New Year Holiday opening hours RLC will be operating with reduced hours over the Christmas and New Year holiday period.   **Throughout this period we will be operating an Out of Hours number on 07710 077 419. You can call the number directly to get through to a member of staff. Please note text messages cannot be accepted on this number**   Opening Hours as follows:   24 December Closed from 1pm 25 December-29 December Closed 30 – 31 December [Please note that we will be operating with skeleton staff on these dates and deliveries to Chambers will not be possible without prior arrangement] 2 January. Normal working hours resume.   The barristers and staff at Red Lion Chambers would like to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year.   We look forward to seeing you in 2025.

Michael Goodwin KC and Trevor Archer instructed in Ladbroke Grove Double Shooting trial   Michael Goodwin KC and Trevor Archer have been instructed in the prosecution of a 32 year old man charged with the attempted murders of an eight-year-old girl and her father in West London.   The alleged incident took place on Southern Row, Ladbroke Grove on 24 November, 2024.   The trial will take place on 22 September, 2025 at the Old Bailey.   Michael Goodwin KC specialises in high profile homicide and serious crime cases with particular expertise offences of murder, manslaughter, large scale drugs conspiracies, and gang related violence. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eY_BtZQK   Trevor Archer has particular expertise involving gang-related offending and expert evidence relating to the same. He also specialises in cases that require complex disclosure management, informant handling, and evidence relating to cell site, GPS, mobile phones, DNA, fingerprint and gunshot residue. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ea_tfV2H   Read news reports:   BBC News https://lnkd.in/eY-taRMh The Guardian https://lnkd.in/ek-Z7H78 The Independent https://lnkd.in/expFSDvX Sky News https://lnkd.in/eUyMeTQu The Times https://lnkd.in/e9e2N9Uz ITV News https://lnkd.in/eHaAmAMQ

David Walbank KC Secures Retrial in £7 Million Furlough Fraud Prosecution The jury has been discharged following an 11-week trial in the Birmingham Crown Court relating to an alleged Covid-19 furlough fraud. David Walbank KC acted for a businessman charged with cheating the public revenue. Under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, employees who could not work because of the pandemic would continue to be paid 80% of their wages up to a maximum of £2,500 per month, with the government reimbursing employers. The defendant was alleged to have made more than 4,000 furlough claims in the space of seven weeks in early 2020 in the names of workers who were not eligible to receive monies under the scheme. The prosecution alleged that the defendant had thereby obtained nearly £7 million from HM Revenue & Customs.However, the jury were unable to reach a verdict. Having historically had conduct of many of the most complex cases for all the major fraud prosecution agencies (including as former Standing Counsel to the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office and Standing Counsel to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills), David’s work is now almost exclusively for front-rank fraud defence firms: https://lnkd.in/e3pJfs46 David led Chantel Gaber of 25 Bedford Row and was instructed by Daniel Cundy and Naureen Shariff of Blackfords LLP. #Defence #ReTrial #Covid19 #FurloughFraud #Fraud #BusinessCrime

Gillian Jones KC secures unanimous acquittal in Murder case Gillian Jones KC has successfully secured the unanimous acquittal of a defendant charged with murder following a complex and intense 5-week trial at Kingston Crown Court. She led Mark Fraser of Rose Court Chambers with the team instructed by Mohsin Ariff of Lloyds PR Solicitors. Gillian has extensive experience in defending in Murder & Manslaughter cases, particularly those involving complex medical and scientific evidence. Please see: https://lnkd.in/eQKeS-y9 RLC is recognised as one of the leading chambers in England & Wales in Serious Crime with our barristers defending in many of the major trials of their time. We are particularly well-respected for handling complex evidence, including forensic telephone evidence, expert cell site and DNA analysis, expert examination, detailed cross-examination, and strategic planning and remain at the forefront of exceptional defence advocacy in the most challenging and high-profile cases. Read more: https://lnkd.in/edX_2deZ #DefenceCounsel #DefenceBarrister #Murder #Acquittal #SeriousCrime

Simon Spence KC interviewed by BBC Radio Suffolk   Simon Spence KC FRSA DipABRSM was recently invited to discuss the government’s proposal to scrap trial by jury for certain offences in order to address court backlogs. Appearing on BBC Radio Suffolk, Simon discussed the implications of the suggestion, which aims to shift ‘middle bracket’ offences to magistrates' courts.   Simon emphasized that the answer to tackling court delays is not to remove the right to a jury trial. Instead, he highlighted the urgent need for investment in the justice system, including more judges, barristers, courtrooms, and resources to enable courts to operate at full capacity. He commented:   "The current backlog has resulted in some individuals waiting up to four years for their trial, which has severely eroded public confidence in the justice system. Vulnerable victims in sensitive cases, particularly in sexual offences, are increasingly withdrawing their consent to proceed. This poses a real risk of individuals walking free who should otherwise be held accountable."   He concluded: “The justice system is one of the pillars of society, like health and education. You have to invest in it to make it work properly, and that has not been happening for the last 20 years.”   Listen from 21:09 here: https://lnkd.in/emZVW5e5

Court of Appeal overturns brothers' conviction after 20-year legal battle   On 5 November 2003, an elderly couple Carol and Graham Fisher were murdered in their remote home in Wadebridge, Cornwall.   Following their arrest in 2004, Lee Firkins and his brother Robert were remanded in prison. The prosecution case centred on an alleged cell confession made by Robert to a fellow remand inmate. In January 2006 the brothers were convicted at Exeter Crown Court.   For almost 20 years, John Lyons, instructed by Hickman & Rose and subsequently by Bird & Co. worked on the case together with James Wood KC.   After two appeals to the Court of Appeal, applications to the Criminal Cases Review Commission and an application to the European Court of Human Rights, in December 2023 the Court of Appeal quashed the convictions of both brothers.   As a result of the efforts by the defence since conviction, it had become clear that the key prosecution witness suffered from severe psychopathy. Together with other fresh evidence obtained by the defence since the trial, the Court of Appeal held that it was unsafe to rely on cell confession evidence.   The Court of Appeal ordered a retrial and the successful outcome of the appeal could not be reported at the time. One year on, on 16 December 2024, the prosecution has now finally offered no evidence and not guilty verdicts have been entered.   In the course of preparing the appeal John Lyons reviewed how courts internationally treat cell confession evidence. He commented: "It is alarmingly easy for dishonest inmates to fabricate false cell confessions as a means of seeking revenge or gaining personal benefits, such as reduced sentences or rewards. It is time for English courts to introduce robust safeguards to restrict the reliance on cell confession evidence."   John Lyons specialises exclusively in criminal defence and is instructed on behalf of potential victims of miscarriages of justice and is involved in representing those seeking to appeal historic criminal convictions through the Criminal Cases Review Commission. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eVcn_4Uh #CourtOfAppeal #EuropeanCourtofHumanRights #CCRC #20Years Newstories: BBC News https://lnkd.in/enuhFNAc ITV News https://lnkd.in/eTJWKHbW

BLOG: Fifty Years After the Birmingham Pub Bombings   "The 50th anniversary of the Birmingham bombings is a stark reminder of the pain suffered by so many – the victims of the bombings, the families of those who lost their lives and the innocent individuals who were wrongly convicted of committing the crime to name a few."   Attending a commemorative event titled "Error of Judgement – The Truth about the Birmingham Bombings" at City, University of London which featured investigative journalist and former MP Chris Mullin discussing his pivotal role in exposing the wrongful convictions of innocent individuals, Basanti Mardemootoo has written a compelling blog to explore Mullin's landmark work and discuss the enduring impact of the bombings. She writes:   "In a report published this past summer, it is clear that miscarriages of justice of the sort faced by the Birmingham Six are anything but gone. Malkinson’s case brought to light several issues with the current criminal justice system, including but not limited to: Non-disclosure of relevant material; The process by which the CCRC reviews the referral requests which come to them and limitations to access to justice relating to costs and finances."   Read full blog here: https://lnkd.in/eh6BGz_M   Basanti Mardemootoo is a first six pupil barrister. Before pupillage, Basanti worked as a paralegal at Bhatt Murphy Solicitors on the Covid-19 Public Inquiry and an inquest into a death in custody. Her experience also includes roles at the International Criminal Court and the United Nations, focusing on counter-terrorism and human rights. Read more: https://lnkd.in/efTcDHs8 #TheBirminghamSix #MiscarriageOfJustice #MPChrisMullin #CriminalLaw #Crime #CCRC #LegalArticle The Bar Council of England and Wales #Blog

Dan Taylor secures not guilty verdicts in Sara Sharif murder trial   Following a 10-week trial at the Central Criminal Court, Dan Taylor, led by Michael Ivers KC of Garden Court Chambers, secured the acquittal of Faisal Malik for the murder and manslaughter of his 10 year old niece, Sara Sharif. Mr Malik was found guilty of a lesser alternative offence of causing/allowing the death of a child. The case has attracted significant national and international press coverage.    The Prosecution asserted that since arriving in the UK in December 2022 to study at Portsmouth University, Dan's client had been part of a campaign of appalling abuse towards Sara prior to her death on 8 August 2023 and had participated, assisted, and/or encouraged her murder. Her injuries included numerous fractures, bruises, lesions, burns and bite marks. It was said that following Sara's death, the family fled to Pakistan before returning to the UK in September 2023, when they were arrested on arrival.    At trial, the defence strategy focused on undermining key pillars of the Prosecution case, including the medical, CCTV and cell-site evidence. As the trial developed, issues arose regarding causation and whether Sara's death was as a result of a "constellation of injuries", as initially contended by the Prosecution, or a "final act" proximate to her death, causing a fatal brain injury, for which it was said that Dan's client could not have been present.    Many hundreds of hours of CCTV footage were viewed by the defence team and considered in conjunction with cell-site evidence and banking transactions to create an alternative narrative regarding Mr Malik's movements and undermine Prosecution assertions concerning the location of Mr Malik at material times both leading up to and on the day of Sara's death.    Dan is ranked in both Chambers and Partners and as a Leading Junior in the Legal 500. He has significant experience in defending high-profile cases of murder, attempted murder and manslaughter: https://lnkd.in/dEUgsh6z   Dan and Michael were instructed by Gias Uddin and Aashar Malik of WOOLFE & CO SOLICITORS LTD. News stories: BBC News https://lnkd.in/eHwCT79k The Guardian https://lnkd.in/ev2MAcYU The Times https://lnkd.in/ezZfUZC3 The Independent https://lnkd.in/eiFcKkbM #DefenceCounsel #SaraSharif