Regulatory and Local Government

BSB Barristers’ Register

Ethu is a leading junior with considerable professional experience in both prosecuting and defending criminal law matters. The main focus of his criminal practice is fraud and general regulatory work where he has acted for multi-national companies as well as local authorities. He has been both junior and leading junior in lengthy and significant cases. His experience, combined with his ability, means that he is able to work well on cases involving complexity whether it be in terms of: length of alleged criminality; number of charges; level of income; the use of foreign jurisdictions to avoid the tracing of income/expenditure; and/or number of Defendants.

Ethu is a Category A member on the List of Specialist Regulatory Advocates instructed by the Health and Safety Executive, the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, the Office of Rail and Road, the Care Quality Commission and the Office for Product Safety and Standards.

He is known for his analytical mind, logical approach, relaxed style, interpersonal skills, tenacity and attention to detail.

Ethu is, frequently, instructed at a very early stage in cases as he is happy to help prepare the shape of a case from the outset and assist with issues such as disclosure obligations.

He regularly prosecutes for a wide range of local authorities. He has also acted for both national and international organisations in criminal law matters. His instructions have taken him throughout the country.

Ethu has developed a particular expertise in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and associated issues. He is very experienced in such cases and has lectured, on behalf of the National Police Improvement Agency, on asset recovery, money laundering, confiscation, cash seizure, detention and forfeiture issues. As a specialist in this field, he is frequently called upon to deal with Proceeds of Crime Act matters in large criminal operations. This work covers areas such as terrorism, fraud, intellectual property, human trafficking, sex slavery, brothel keeping, mortgage fraud, drug production and supply, selling counterfeit goods, video piracy, tax evasion, counterfeiting and rogue trading. Ethu is a key speaker at the POCA forum that chambers hosts.

Ethu’s work for government bodies and local authorities also includes false passport and benefit fraud matters in both the Crown and Magistrates’ Courts.

Ethu’s work also covers many regulatory matters including licensing, planning and food hygiene cases.

He has also represented parties in many applications for ancillary orders such as Serious Crime Prevention Orders, Gang Injunctions, Sexual Risk Orders, Stalking Protection Orders and Criminal Behaviour Orders. In addition, he has carried out a great number of Closure Order cases. In conjunction with his Crown Court defence work, this means that Ethu has appeared on behalf of individuals across the criminal spectrum. Ethu has regularly presented at Chambers’ Sexual Offences Forum.

Ethu’s work, as set out above, includes the following offences: murder, conspiracy to defraud, fraudulent trading, illegal streaming, drug manufacture, possession and supply; kidnapping; wounding with intent; assault occasioning actual bodily harm; affray; harassment; fraud, burglaries and thefts; CPUT matters; sexual offences including rape, buggery, necrophilia, sexual activity with a child and indecent assault; racially aggravated offences and dangerous driving.

Ethu is also frequently asked to deal with Administrative Court issues, whether it is by judicial review or by case stated, arising from issues of law arising from criminal law matters. This experience includes a number of cases dealing with issues such as definitions of intent, the definition of an ambulance and the parameters of non-domestic rates collection.

Ethu does a great deal of licensing work. This includes licensing appeals, such as relating to private hire, and assisting licensing sub-committees.

He has also acted, since shortly before the European Football Championships in 2004, in a number of Football Banning Order cases brought on application. He has also advised Hampshire County Council on Public Interest Immunity matters and previously drafted Probation Service Procedures for complying with applications for disclosure.

In addition, he has also defended a number of soldiers at Courts Martial. This includes hearings in the UK as well as abroad such as a multi-handed Court Martials at Osnabrook Court Martial Centre in Germany.

He also appears on a frequent basis to represent prisoners convicted of murder and serious sexual offences at Parole Board hearings across the country.

Reported Cases:

R v Rolph (Victoria) [2022] EWCA Crim 208
Benefit from Criminal Conduct
Criminal Procedure

A v Southampton City Council [2014] EWCA Crim 1244
Discharge of Restraint Orders
Criminal Procedure

Vaughan v Valuation Tribunal [2013] EWHC 1885 (Admin); [2013] RVR 269
Council Tax Discounts and Principal Residence – A Review
Local Government

R v Beazley and Another [2013] EWCA Crim 567; [2013] 1 WLR 3331
Confiscation Orders and Abuse of Process
Crime & Regulatory

R (on the application of Barons Pub Company Ltd) v Staines Magistrates’ Court, [2013] EWHC 898 (Admin); [2013] Crim LR 758; [2013] A.C.D. 92
Abuse of Process and Compliance with Prosecution Policy
Crime & Regulatory

Vaughan v South Oxfordshire District Council IPT/12/28/C 04/07/12
Investigatory Powers Tribunal Hearing on Surveillance
Local Government

R v Pegley (aka Gold) (2012) EWCA Crim 2583
Costs in Criminal Cases
Crime & Regulatory

Secerno Ltd, Sportsworld Ltd & XOU Solutions Ltd v Oxford Magistrates’ Court and Vale of White Horse District Council [2011] EWHC 1009 (Admin); [2011] R.A. 247
Liability Orders and Non-Domestic Rates
Local Government

R v Lee (Gareth) [2010] EWCA Crim 268
Sentencing for Trade Mark Offences
Crime & Regulatory

B v DPP [2010] EWHC 1301 (Admin)
Criminal Evidence
Crime & Regulatory

Lord-Castle v DPP (2009) EWHC 87 (Admin)
Definition of an Ambulance
Crime & Regulatory

Southard v DPP (2006) EWHC 3449 (Admin); [2007] A.C.D. 53
Criminal Intent
Crime & Regulatory

R v DPP (2006) [2006] EWHC 1375 (Admin); (2006) 170 J.P. 661
Criminal Intent
Crime & Regulatory

R v Rougerie (2006) EWCA Crim 2546
Sexual Offences Sentencing
Crime & Regulatory

Keondjian v Kay (2004) EWHC 2820 (CH); [2005] 1 P. & C.R. DG20
Beneficial Trusts and Constructive Trusts
Equity & Trusts

Civil

Ethu has been involved advising on the issuing and the drafting of Directions Notices under the various Health Protection Regulations made due to Coronavirus.

Ethu came to the Bar after working extensively on academic works in the fields of International Trade, Arbitration and Franchising. He was the editorial manager for the Journal of World Trade, the International Journal of Franchising and Distribution Law, the International Encyclopaedia of Franchising, Corporate Rescue & Insolvency and the International Encyclopaedia of Agency and Distribution Agreements and still continues in his role as the editorial manager of Arbitration International.

His expertise has been reflected by the fact that he has previously been appointed to sit as an arbitrator by the LCIA in a number of high value international disputes.

Ethu has also edited academic law books for the World Trade Organisation, the Centre for Commercial Law Studies, the London Institute of International Banking, Finance and Development Law, the SMU Institute of International Banking and Finance, the Asian Institute of International Financial Law, the Chinese Law Group and the Centre for Comparative and Public Law.

Ethu has also represented a number of authorities, companies and individuals at inquests.

He has both experience and an interest in public law and is frequently instructed in judicial review proceedings. His experience has included cases involving the technical aspects of non-domestic rates. He has appeared in a number of cases involving legal definitions such as what amounts to alarm and what is an ambulance.

Ethu has experience in many civil applications in the criminal courts. This includes anti-gang injunction applications and, recently, dealt with numerous applications aimed at disrupting an established urban gang.