Notable Cases
Homicide
R v. B and others (2017)
Instructed as Queen’s Counsel for the second defendant in a seven-handed conspiracy to murder case.
R v. D and others (2016)
Led junior for the defence in a five-handed conspiracy to murder tried over eight weeks before the Recorder of Manchester. Channel 4 are currently preparing a documentary in relation to the case.
R v. O’S (2015)
Led junior in the case of the “Stelfox House” double murder. An extremely rare category of case that involved a lone defendant being accused of double murder within the context of a single incident.
R v. S (2013)
Junior alone in a three handed murder. Mark had to return this case prior to trial, however, before returning it he drafted a written application to dismiss the murder charge against Smith and this argument was successfully advanced before the Recorder of Stafford by Queen’s Counsel who replaced Mark. The QC in question confirmed that the application was allowed purely on the basis of Mark’s written submission.
R v T and others (2011)
Leading Junior for the first defendant in a nationally reported, three-handed murder, where the body of the deceased was kept in a flat for a number of days before being disposed of via a wheelie bin.
Serious Sexual Rape
R v Franklin (2016)
Successfully prosecuted a historic allegation of sibling rape (brother on sister) where the victim’s own family had turned against her
R v. G (2016)
Instructed in an ‘out of time’ application to the Court of Appeal in relation to a sentence of imprisonment for public protection imposed following convictions for child sex offences some years ago. Mark successfully submitted that the sentence was unlawful. In addition, once the CCA corrected the error, Mark succeeded in persuading the Court that an IPP was, in any event, wrong in principle. The sentence was quashed and replaced with a determinate sentence
R v. B (2016)
Privately instructed to defend a renowned 1960’s film director accused of various indecent images offences. Mark eventually caused the Crown to drop the case following legal submissions and evidence gathering that demonstrated that the images in question could not be proved to be unlawful.
R v. B (2015)
Junior alone privately instructed to defend an eminent surgeon accused of sexual offences within the workplace. An acquittal was secured.
R v. M (2014)
Junior alone privately instructed to defend in a sexual assault case where the complainant was only four years of age. Commended by the Resident Judge of Lewes Crown Court for conduct of the case.
R v. A and others (2013)
Junior alone for the first defendant in a seven defendant peadophile ring case heard in Middlesbrough. Mark’s client pleaded guilty on a limited basis following protracted negotiations.
R v. B (2013)
Junior alone in defending one of the four Brighton and Hove Albion footballers accused of sexual assault. Mark represented the first defendant and co-defended with three Queen’s Counsel. Mark was the only junior in the case and undertook all the central cross-examination of the Crown’s witnesses which ultimately contributed to the across the board acquittals that followed a trial and re-trial.
R v. J (2013)
Junior alone in defending a high profile musical composer accused of rape. Mark was privately instructed in this case and secured a jury acquittal within six minutes of jury retirement.
R v. A (2013)
Junior alone in defending a leading transplant surgeon accused of sexual assault in a clinical setting. Mark’s vigorous and detailed approach to disclosure in this case contributed to another swift jury acquittal.
Business Crime and Fraud
R v. Fallon (2017)
Mark was instructed by the Specialist Fraud Division of the CPS to lead Stephen Hopper of 5 Paper Buildings in this multi-million pound trader fraud that was heard over ten weeks. The case involved a complex Ponzi scheme and substantial issues surrounding Forex trading on the spot markets. Convictions were secured.
R v. K and others (2017)
Mark led Eleanor Scott in this 10 week conspiracy to money launder, pervert the course of justice and false accounting case. Mark’s client was acquitted on all counts. The investigation into the case by the Anti-Money Laundering Task Force had spanned more than five years and over 35,000 pages of material were relied upon by the Crown. The principal issues in the case involved allegations of computer manipulation and forgery. Mark’s substantial experience of white collar fraud and the Money Laundering Regulations were brought to bear during this complex trial.
R v B. and others (2017)
At the time of taking silk Mark was instructed to defend (as a led junior) in this six month, multi-handed care home fraud
R v. V and another (2016)
Privately instructed by Kinsgley Napley to defend in a multi-million pound money laundering case involving international issues and significant expert evidence (ESDA and MLR’s).
Asset Recovery and POCA
R v. M and another (2016)
Instructed by Bivonas Law to lead for the defence in a contested and very high value confiscation enquiry. Following a fully contested hearing the original benefit figure of over £4m was reduced to less than £0.5m. During a lengthy hearing technical and evidential arguments were advanced, covering topics such as corporate veil and registered tenancies.
Serious and Organised Crime
R v. C and others (2015)
Junior alone for one of the lead defendants in a seven defendant money laundering conspiracy. Mark was one of only two counsel in the case who remained in court during an ex parte PII application which was made during the trial. Mark and one other (John Warrington – also counsel from 5 St Andrew’s Hill) made submissions to the judge. Following the hearing, Mark’s client and two others (including John Warrington’s client) had no evidence offered against them as a result of the Crown’s failure to obtain immunity.
R v. C and Others (2014)
Leading junior for the first defendant in a seven defendant conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary. The case was heavily dependant on cell site evidence, an area where Mark has particular expertise.
R v B (2012)
Junior alone for the defence in a conspiracy to hack into the United Nations Central Computer in order to steal €4 million worth of exchangeable carbon credits.
R v W H and others (2011)
Junior alone for the defence in a ten-handed conspiracy to defraud. The case involved car clocking on an industrial scale and money laundering through mortgage instruments. The case was one of the few, to date, which have been disposed of by way of a serious fraud plea agreement, which included all confiscation findings.
Other Notable
R v A (2010)
Junior alone in successfully defending an Olympic diver charged with assault.
