Complex Crime

At St Pauls Chambers, we have a team of highly respected and accomplished barristers at all levels who have substantial experience in the Prosecution and Defence of complex crime both in the Crown Court and Appeal Courts.

Our terrorism team are regularly instructed to prosecute and defend high-profile and complex terrorism cases, involving offences including possession of material useful to a terrorist, dissemination of terrorist material online, making explosive devices, and planning or committing acts of terrorism. Such offences encompass complex and expert evidence such as computing analysis, telephone download analysis, explosives, firearms, and social development of various extreme terrorist groups, both in the United Kingdom and other countries.

We present sensitive and distressing material to juries such as beheadings and shootings motivated by terrorism and distributed online with the aim of encouraging others to do the same. The defendants range from disillusioned youths to sophisticated and highly educated extremists. Many defendants have psychological and psychiatric issues. We have expertise in cases involving extreme terrorist groups of all kinds, particularly Islamic State and Extreme Right Wing white supremacists.

We have experienced Barristers at all levels in homicide cases. Often such cases will involve gang-land feuds, firearms and ballistic experts, and complex pathology, as well as cell-site and telephone evidence. With our specialist knowledge, gained over many years and many cases, both for the Prosecution and Defence, we can advise on the tactical decisions to be made, with their inherent sensitivity, from beginning to end of proceedings.

In child and infant fatalities and serious injury cases, we have a wealth of Silks and Junior criminal barristers with specialist skills in cross-examination of experts in paediatrics, neurology, neuropathology, retinal abnormalities, and orthopaedics. Our expert criminal advocates also have much experience in dealing with ‘Munchausen by proxy’ cases. The cross-over with our family team means that we can deal with all aspects of cases where there has been an infant or child fatality, including any care proceedings.

There is a wealth of knowledge and experience in Chambers in dealing with specialist Health and Safety prosecutions and regulations, including cases of corporate manslaughter. At all levels, we have barristers with the skills and knowledge to deal with the particular types of experts relied upon in such cases.

Our criminal team have been instructed for many years in the most complex serious and organised crime cases locally and nationally. We prosecute and defend in the largest drugs importation conspiracy prosecutions, involving covert recordings and observations, international evidence, extradition from all parts of the world, telephone and cell-site, and complex sequences of events involving multiple defendants and the National Crime Agency.

We are also regularly instructed in high-profile, multi-defendant, child sexual exploitation cases involving sexual grooming, rape, and trafficking of children for sexual purposes. Equally, we have represented and prosecuted numerous defendants who have lied to the court and made false allegations of sexual abuse.

The criminal team has many years of experience in dealing with serious fraud and the Proceeds of Crime Act goes hand in hand with such proceedings. We are therefore highly skilled and knowledgeable in representing both sides of a case in complex restraint of assets applications and confiscation proceedings following conviction.

Contact us for expert legal advice and strategic guidance in complex crime, encompassing areas like terrorism and homicide. Our highly experienced barristers provide invaluable counsel for all complex crime cases.