Crime

Edward is a specialist criminal advocate with a wide experience of serious and complex cases, often involving organised crime. His practice is split between prosecuting and defending.

Defence Work

Defending, Edward has earned a reputation as an advocate who prepares his cases meticulously. He is well-used to defending in multi-handed cases, as well as defendants being tried alone. He is unafraid to challenge the prosecution on the law but has the experience to understand when to confront matters head on, and when to contest matters in a more subtle way.

He has defended allegations of murder led by King’s Counsel.

He is confident when defending in complex trials.

He can be robust with witnesses when required, but understands when a more sensitive approach is needed. He prides himself on his ability to explain the relevant issues in a case to the defendant.
He gives practical and comprehensible advice in conference and does not shy away from discussing difficult subjects, with even the most excitable clients. When defending, his focus is always to reach the best outcome for the defendant.

Prosecution Work

When prosecuting, Edward has a wealth of experience in dealing with complicated financial crime, including VAT and tax frauds, mortgage and DWP fraud, PONZI schemes, high-value vehicle fraud and money laundering.
Edward has successfully prosecuted a number of cases involving large-scale fraudulent activity arising out of organised immigration crime. He is regularly instructed by the Wessex Complex Casework Unit.

Edward has a keen understanding of POCA and the confiscation regime. He has conducted countless cash forfeiture and seizure hearings in the Magistrates’ Court for Hampshire Police and the NCA. He represented the Wiltshire Police in a set of POCA proceedings to a value of £6 million.

Edward has a wide experience of successfully prosecuting attempted murder, large-scale drug importations and County Lines conspiracies, as well as offences of serious violence and fatal driving offence cases. He has been instructed to prosecute murder as led junior.
His attention to detail, and his ease with explaining complicated concepts and complicated evidence to the jury, has been the subject of judicial praise.

Edward has a deep experience of the disclosure regime. In addition, he is regularly instructed by three different Police forces to advise on disclosure issues, and has been appointed disclosure junior on more than one multi-million pound conspiracy trial.

Edward prides himself on his ability to make witnesses feel at ease. He understands the emotional turmoil that giving evidence can cause some witnesses, and works hard to ensure that they can give their best evidence in court.

Edward is comfortable operating on the “civil/crime crossover,” regularly appearing in the High Court to obtain the appointment of Enforcement Receivers, to obtain injunctive relief on behalf of Financial Investigators, and to obtain Civil Restraint Orders against vexatious litigants, notably on more than one occasion instructed by the Government Legal Service.

Cases of interest:

2019

R v Severn and Clarke
Successful prosecution of a conspiracy to rob with subsequent POCA proceedings to a value of more than £200,00.

2021

R v Oduwusi
Successful prosecution of County Lines drug dealer operating in two counties.

R v Whatley
Successful prosecution, led by a QC, of a retired Army Officer for high-value fraud and other offences of dishonesty whilst still serving, involving witnesses from three other countries.

R v Fiori
Acting for the Respondent in a contested application for a Certificate of Mutual Recognition under POCA and associated EU laws.

R v Jardim
Successful prosecution in a “romance fraud” targeting an elderly lady with dementia, valued at £1 million.

2022

R v Kurian and Ors
Successful defence in multi-million pound, illegal TV streaming conspiracy.

R v Balkauskas
Successful prosecution in a sensitive case alleging causing death by dangerous driving

2023

R v Patel
Successful prosecution for GBH involving biting off of whole ear.

R v Ali
Successful prosecution for attempted murder of one asylum-seeker by another.

R v Riley and Others
Successful prosecution of nine-handed County Lines drug conspiracy, as leading junior.

R v Samsonovs
Successful prosecution of a teenager for causing death by dangerous driving.

R v Singh-Digwa and Others
Successful prosecution of 8 teenaged defendants for violence, theft and public-disorder

R v Edmonds and Walkely
Successful prosecution of two defendants for perverting the course of justice in this sensitive case arising from the “body in the bin.”

Regulatory and Local Government

Edward is a specialist in regulatory crime and licensing. He is instructed by a large number of Local Authorities to prosecute serious and complex cases, often involving large numbers of complainants and high value losses.
Edward also acts successfully for applicants for licenses, including contentious or sensitive applications.

He advises and represents Police Forces, Fire and Rescue Services, Environmental Health and Licensing teams in alcohol, driving for hire, and other Licensing Act 2003 matters. He has also advised and represented objectors (including Local Authorities and the Police) in respect of a number of music festivals.

He is regularly instructed to act as Legal Advisor to a number of different Licensing Committees, hearing alcohol, taxi driver and betting & gaming applications.

He regularly represents both the Police and appellants in shotgun and firearm appeals. His five years in the British Army as an infantry officer give him a depth of experience in the detail of weapons and weapon safety matters.

Prosecution Work

Edward has a wealth of experience prosecuting regulatory offences for Local Authorities in the Magistrates’ Court and the Crown Court, and appearing for Local Authorities in the Hight Court.

Edward has been prosecuting Consumer Protection Regs, animal welfare, food safety and Trade Marks Act matters for Unitary, County and Borough Councils for over 15 years.

When prosecuting, Edward’s attention to detail means that he always understands where a piece of evidence fits into the case as a whole, but he never loses sight of the bigger picture of the overall case.

His experience and his temperament mean that he is able to explain the often complicated legal concepts and evidence of regulatory offences to the jury in a clear way that ensures that they understand the full extent of the prosecution case.

He is happy to explain the law and procedure to the client and even to the court where necessary. His ability to reduce a seemingly complicated factual matrix to manageable chunks has allowed him to succeed in lengthy trials against sometimes devious and wily opponents.
Edward prides himself on his ability to make witnesses feel at ease.
He understands the emotional turmoil that giving evidence can cause some complainants and witnesses, and works hard to ensure that they are able to give their best evidence in court. This is particularly important when dealing with complainants in high value fraud and consumer protection cases.

Licensing

Edward is instructed by applicants, Local Authority departments and Police forces to oppose applications for licenses, or to present licence review proceedings. He regularly appears before Licensing Sub-Committees and before the Justices on appeal.
He takes a pragmatic approach to each case, searching for the best outcome for those instructing him, making sure that decisions are taken as part of a collaborative process.
He is not afraid to offer stark opinions where needed, but ensures always that the trust and good humour between barrister and client endure.

Firearms

Edward has a depth of understanding about gun ownership and uses this to his advantage when appearing in firearm appeals. He appreciates that there are often a selection of possible outcomes to a firearms appeal and is careful always to keep his clients appraised of the possible resolutions. He is equally comfortable appearing for the appellant and the respondent.

Edward is comfortable operating on the “civil/crime crossover,” regularly appearing in the High Court to obtain the appointment of Enforcement Receivers, to obtain injunctive relief on behalf of Financial Investigators, and to obtain Civil Restraint Orders against vexatious litigants, notably on more than one occasion instructed by the Government Legal Service.

Edward has a deep experience of the disclosure regime. In addition, he is regularly instructed by Police forces to advise on disclosure issues, and has been appointed disclosure junior on more than one multi-million pound conspiracy trial.

Recent cases of interest:

2022
R v Sandica Ltd and Others
Successful prosecution of electrical installer and also of issuer of electrical safety certificates.

R v Davies and Davies
Successful prosecution of 24-complainant Consumer Protection and fraud case with a value exceeding £400,000.

R v Smith, Draper-Smith and Others
Successful prosecution of four defendants in this roofing fraud against multiple elderly victims, with a value of over £180,000. Full recovery of all sums fraudulently obtained.

R v H and Others
Prosecution arising from multi-site counterfeit and unlawful tobacco case.

R v S, O’B, and C
Successful application for extradition warrant in high-value rogue trader roofing fraud case.

2023

R v Ali
Successful prosecution of high-value unlawful tobacco seller.

R v Fidler and Fidler & Civil
Successful prosecutions of multi-complainant, high-value drains fraud, and continuation by same defendant with accomplice.

PCPD Ltd v IoW
Successful defence of notice issued under s215 of the TCPA 1990, on appeal to Magistrates’ Court and then Crown Court.