YEAR OF CALL 1993

SILK 2018

APPOINTED RECORDER OF THE CROWN COURT 2023

Direct Access Qualified

‘James is a prosecutor to the core. He's detailed and hardcore from beginning to end, but charming. You are in for a fight.’ Chambers UK Bar 2025

'James is never underprepared. He is direct and determined. His cross-examination is forceful and effective and his legal submissions are uncompromising. Despite his strong approach to prosecution he is delightful company and has a great sense of humour.' The Legal 500 2025

James has been a member of chambers since 1995. He specialises in the areas of Murder, Complex Fraud and Organised Crime. The short case profiles below represent some ongoing and recently completed cases that James has prosecuted, defended and advised upon. The profiles give a snapshot of the broad range of criminal allegations with which James has expertise. The range includes allegations of Homicide, Fraud including Bribery, Money Laundering and Cyber-Crime, Historic Child Abuse and Organised Crime with an international dimension. James has a mathematical mind and as a Physics graduate; he retains an interest in recent scientific advances.

Homicide and Serious Violence

R v IK 2024, James successfully prosecuted a 4 week murder trial. The Defendant lured a 20 year old victim into an ambush and his fatal stabbing on the streets of New Cross. The trial included issues of secondary liability where the principal had fled abroad. James was instructed by Kirsty O’Connor at CPS London Homicide. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-66484904

R v ** 2024, James prosecuted a 10 week long trial of 3 attempted murders. The Defendant who cannot be named, was a schoolboy at Blundell’s School in Tiverton, Devon. The trial included an examination of the way in which the criminal law regards a claim of sleepwalking. James was engaged by Helen Phillips of South West CPS.  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw99z474j93o.amp

R v JA 2024, James prosecuted an allegation of importation of a poison and the manslaughter of an 11 year old girl by poisoning by the release of the gas Phosphine. The case contained complexities concerning unlawful acts from a strict liability offence and causation. James was originally instructed by Kristen Katsouris of CPS London homicide  https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/italy-london-tower-hamlets-paramedics-old-bailey-b2581966.html

R v KW and two others 2024, James led for the prosecution in an 8 week, 3 handed allegation of a murder of a 22 year old stabbed on the street in Croydon. One of the defendants cannot be named for legal reasons relating to his age. The background was internal gang related violence. James was instructed by Kirsty O’Connor of CPS London homicide. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/croydon-pub-murder-man-charged-met-police-london-lucas-sutton-b1084420.html

R v NF and 5 others 2024, James led for the prosecution in a 6 week, 6 handed prosecution of a GBH committed in HMP Thamesside by prison officers on a prisoner. James was instructed by Denise Murrin of the Serious and Organised Crime Unit within London CPS. https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/23693229.thameside-prison-officer-guilty-assault-kicking-attacker/

R v KP 2023, James defended in a 6 week trial of a father accused of murdering an 11 week old baby. The issues were accident and lack of intent. There were expert witnesses in 6 different medical disciplines each requiring meticulous cross examination. A verdict of manslaughter was returned. At the request of the Attorney General, the sentence was reviewed by the Court of Appeal and not increased. James was instructed by Iqbal Bally Singh Kang of Vienna Kang Solicitors. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12667611/parents-accused-murdering-baby-daughter-brain-injuries-skull-fracture-possible-bite-marks.html

R v P, R, R and WP 2023, James prosecuted a 3 month trial of a 4 handed gang murder and GBH by stabbing with a zombie knife of two young men in a block of flats in Croydon. The issues were presence and participation. James was instructed by Amee Patel of London CPS Homicide. https://southwarknews.co.uk/area/peckham/fourth-man-charged-with-murder-of-peckhams-lavaun-witter/

R v A 2023, James successfully prosecuted the trial of a youth who stabbed one person when he was 14 and then 10 months later stabbed and killed another person when he was 15. The issue was self-defence on each occasion. James was instructed by Kirsty O’Connor of London CPS Homicide. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/teenager-convicted-murder-ali-baygoren-tottenham-b1081539.html.

R v G 2023, James successfully prosecuted the trial of a man who murdered his friend in a sudden and terrifying episode of extreme violence. The issue in the case was diminished responsibility. James was instructed by Emily Clewer at West Midlands CPS. https://www.cps.gov.uk/west-midlands/news/updated-sentence-man-convicted-murdering-shane-thompson

R v M 2023, James prosecuted an allegation of manslaughter and infanticide at Liverpool Crown Court. The case was retried in 2024.

R v M 2023, James prosecuted a man for murder. There was a late plea but the case required a Newton hearing https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-64284951

R v M 2022 – 2023, James successfully prosecuted a member of a gang for murder who killed a young victim on a ride-out to gang territory in a 2 month trial. The issue was identity. The evidence included cell site, drill and phone downloads. https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/youth-guilty-stab-murder-glorified-155044446.html

R v C 2022, James was involved in a trial for murder of a man who stabbed his neighbour’s wife to death in a 4 week trial. The issue was diminished responsibility. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11382265/Man-21-killed-married-lover-43-merciless-attack-husband-discovered-affair.html

R v L 2022, James successfully prosecuted a man for a double murder at the Central Criminal Court in a 4 week trial. The issue was participation. The evidence combined RING camera audio with call data evidence. https://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/news/crime/vepkhvia-laliashvili-jailed-double-murder-9160952

R v S 2022: James successfully prosecuted a man who used an SS dagger to stab a man to death in Birmingham in a 4 week trial. The case involved complex psychiatric evidence relating to PTSD. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/kane-stonehouse-jailed-life-minimum-24241304

R v B, B, F and D 2022, James successfully prosecuted a 4 handed, 3 month murder trial at the Central Criminal Court. A gang ride-out where the young victim was stabbed to death by a group intent on retribution. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11619425/Gang-five-killers-hacked-boy-death-celebrated-ride-drill-rap-video

R v HD 2021: James prosecuted the 3 week trial of a 16 year old who murdered a 17 year old on a cricket field in Dursley, Gloucestershire. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-59153274

R v S 2021: James prosecuted the 4 week trial of a man who stabbed his rival to death in a car in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/gary-warner-murder-accused-lost-20898962

R v A 2020: James successfully prosecuted the 5 week trial a man who murdered his love-rival for reasons of jealousy and revenge using a pair of scissors on the street in Walthamstow. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/london-man-stabbed-love-rival-scissors-guilty-murder-b375656.html

R v P 2020: James prosecuted the case of a man who stabbed his mother to death while labouring under a delusional disorder. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9068141/Ex-soldier-stabbed-mother-death-given-indefinite-hospital-order.html

R v A and 4 others, 2020; Section 18 GBH of a man stabbed by a gang outside a shopping centre in broad daylight. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8545019/Thugs-stabbed-church-musician-heart-stopped-chat-two-women-without-permission.html

R v T, 2019; two gang related attempted murders by shooting separated by 12 weeks.

R v A, 2017; a 4 week trial at the Central Criminal Court of a double attempted murder by shooting.

Fraud, Bribery and Other Financial Crime

James is currently instructed to prosecute allegations of bribery against 7 persons. The case is ongoing.

R v R, 2023; a 4 week trial concerning claims for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) within the armed forces.

R v EC and DC, 2019; a 3 month long trial where James led for the Crown in which convictions were secured. The case concerned the laundering of over £10m, being the proceeds of the online sale of counterfeit Viagra and other prescription-only medicines. The money was paid through ostensible religious charities based in North London and dispersed through trade-based money-laundering schemes to company bank accounts in Hong Kong, China, Panama, Cyprus. The purpose of the schemes was to ultimately return the value of the money to the ultimate beneficiaries with financial interests in the Middle East.

R v A, 2019; James lead for the successful prosecution of the blackmail of the US technology company, Apple. Apple were threatened with a sophisticated cyber-attack unless demands for money to be paid in bitcoin were met. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-50924434

R v L, 2018; a 2 month long trial alleging a complicated fraud modelled on a Ponzi scheme. James led for the defence acted for the managing partner in a firm of accountants. £23 million of client money was said to have been dishonestly diverted to bank accounts in opaque jurisdictions.

R v K and 6 others, 2018; a 2 month long trial alleging large scale smuggling of non-duty paid cigarettes and alcohol in HGV lorries. James led for the prosecution, securing convictions in a factually complex set of circumstances investigated by the HMRC.

R v C, B and P, 2018; James advised the Crown on the charging of three men accused of Capital Gains Tax evasion relating to 20 years of undeclared property deals.

International Justice

R v JL, 2019; James was instructed by the CPS International Justice and Organised Crime Division, represented the Crown in a claim of abuse of process made by JL against the National Crime Agency (NCA) relating to the removal of a UK citizen from northern Cyprus into the Republic of Cyprus and her subsequent deportation to the UK. A controversial and developing area of law dealing with two antipathetic jurisdictions. JL relied upon her Article 8 rights and how they pertain to European Arrest Warrants. James succeeded in establishing a successful defence of the claim, relying upon the increasingly important authorities of R v Ibori [2018] EWCA 2291 and R v Akarcay and the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police and the Secretary of State for the Home Department and the NCA [2017] EWHC 159 (Admin).

James is regularly instructed to advise a law enforcement agency in Bermuda.

Search Warrants

In an ongoing police investigation by Devon and Cornwall Police, James acted for the police to secure retrospective judicial permission for the police to retain and use material gathered during a police search which had been undertaken outside the terms of the warrant issued by the Court.

Sexual Offences

R v R, 2022: James was involved in a 2 week trial of an allegation of historic sexual abuse. A highly charged case with allegations dating back many years.

R v W, 2022: an ongoing rape trial which will resume in 2023 at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

R v B, 2021: a rape trial at Warwick Crown Court of a young victim in a tent on common land. The witnesses were young and with social disadvantages which required considerable sensitivity to navigate.

R v G and C, 2019: a 2 month long trial alleging historic sexual abuse by members of staff on boys in care spanning Lambeth, Kingston and South Wales council run children’s homes. James led for the prosecution securing convictions against both defendants. The trial required an attention to detail to the vast amount of source material dating back to the early 1970s and the review of 3 previous police investigations and inquiries.

R v B, 2018: a rape trial, James acted for the prosecution in this allegation of rape of a child trafficked from Mongolia. The period covered by the indictment was 10 years. A sensitive approach was essential to navigate a factual scenario strewn with the potential for cultural pitfalls and misunderstanding.

Drug and Firearm Offences

R v O, 2022: a firearms and blackmail matter which has recently resolved with a plea.

R v D and 5 others, 2018: a wide-ranging Metropolitan Police investigation into the smuggling of handguns, silencers, ammunition and a machine gun from Lithuania to London and their subsequent sale to criminals. This was the third in a series of trials involving 15 Defendants in which James was instructed to lead for the prosecution. The final trial took 3 months and resulted in the conviction of significant defendants.

R v Y and R, 2018: was the largest ever prosecution of an underground steroid laboratory in the South-East, James acted for the prosecution secured convictions after unpicking a complex financial web spanning 7 years and millions of pounds.

jdawes@2hb.co.uk