Overview
Nick is an experienced criminal advocate who also provides advice and representation in regulatory proceedings.
Prior to joining the Bar, Nick was a solicitor (admitted 1998). As a former solicitor he understands the importance of working as part of a team and the need for meticulous preparation.
He has held Higher Rights of Audience (both criminal and civil) since 2003. He has been exclusively acting as an advocate in the Crown Court since 2008.
Criminal Defence
Sexual Offences
Nick defends the full range of sexual offences including rape and serious sexual assault. He has experience in cases involving “historical” allegations and Internet-based child pornography offences. Nick has successfully acted for a number of Defendants in relation to applications for variations of SOPOs and SHPOs.
Nick has completed the Bar’s vulnerable witness training.
Serious Violence
Nick has a particular expertise in cases involving serious violence. He is regularly instructed in cases of section 18 GBH, firearms, robbery, violent disorder and affray. He has acted in a number of cases arising out of the 2016 Dover riots. He is also experienced in multiple defendant trials.
Drugs Crime
Due to his extensive practice near the ports on the South Coast, Nick has had substantial experience both as a solicitor and as an advocate in cases involving the importation and the sale of illegal drugs. In early 2016 he defended a number of Defendants involved in Operation Panther and Cargo (at Canterbury Crown Court). He has acted in a 60kg Encrochat conspiracy in Leicester and has been involved in a number of “cannabis factory” cases.
Appeals
Nick regularly advises on appeals against sentence and conviction. He is instructed by a number of solicitors to provide a “fresh pair of eyes” to a case. Nick has appeared successfully in the Court of Appeal on a number of occasions.
Business Crime & Financial Regulation
Nick has defended a number of complex benefit and employee frauds. He is used to handling cases involving a high volume of documents. As an MBA graduate, Nick is commercially aware.
Nick has in the past acted as a Money Laundering Reporting Officer for several solicitors practices.
Disclosure
Nick has recently been instructed in a successful joint Insolvency Service and HMRC multi-handed prosecution as a disclosure junior. The role involved reviewing the DMD and advising on disclosure requests. The case involved hundreds of thousands of documents in multiple locations including third party material.
Criminal Prosecutions - Private & Public
Nick is on the CPS panel (level 3) and prosecutes for HMRC and the Insolvency Service.
Nick has also acted in a number of private prosecutions.
Nick acts regularly for a number of local authorities in prosecutions under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Housing Act 2004 before Crown and Magistrates’ Courts. He is experienced in dealing with the applications for confiscation orders that arise in these cases.
He has also acted in cases under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003 as well as Education Act, Social Housing fraud, Trademark, unauthorised advertising and animal welfare offences.
Nick has also prosecuted offences under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations.
Professional Discipline & Regulatory
Traffic Commissioner
Nick has acted for several transport managers and haulage companies around the country before the Traffic Commissioner in Eastbourne, Cambridge, Birmingham and Leeds. He has handled cases involving issues of good repute, fitness and financial standing.
Medical Professionals
Nick accepts instructions to represent medical professional appearing before their professional regulator. He can provide advice and representation before the following tribunals. He has recently successfully represented a social worker before HCPC accused of sexual misconduct.
Police Misconduct
Nick has also acted for the IOPC in disciplinary proceedings brought against two serving police officers.
Asset Forfeiture, Confiscation & Civil Fraud
Nick is regularly instructed in high value or complex confiscation cases. Within the last 12 months he has been involved in a case before Leicester Crown Court where the Crown were seeking an order for £5.3m. In February 2019 he was led by Mark Cotter KC in a complex confiscation case involving a substantial hidden asset claim. He has dealt with a wide range of confiscation cases including certificates of inadequacy.
Professional Memberships
- Middle Temple.
- Criminal Bar Association.
- Fraud Lawyers Association.
- Kent Bar Mess.
Cases of Note
R v N (Southwark Crown Court)
Acting for interested third party in a s22 POCA application. Involved a novel point of law on the interaction of s10A in s22 cases.
R v R (Nottingham Crown Court)
Led by Mark Cotter QC. Complex confiscation case arising out of a forced labour case.
R v T (Leicester Crown Court)
£5.3m confiscation claim arising out of a multi-million pound diversion fraud.
R v W (Canterbury Crown Court)
S18 GBH.
R v W (Basildon Crown Court)
Multi-handed violent disorder
R v S (Woolwich Crown Court)
Successful defence of a rape allegation
R v W (Guildford Crown Court)
Historic allegations of sexual abuse
R v T (Inner London Crown Court)
Bank Fraud
R v K (Canterbury Crown Court)
Bank employee fraud
R v T (Basildon Crown Court)
Child cruelty case involving genital injuries to a young child
R v G (Maidstone Crown Court)
Multi-handed conspiracy to breach UK immigration law
R v G (Nottingham Crown Court)
Successful defence of section 18 GBH.
R v H (Canterbury Crown Court)
Six-handed conspiracy to breach UK immigration law
R v F (Basildon Crown Court)
Successful defence of a blackmail case
R v D (Canterbury Crown Court)
Drugs supply
R v D (Court of Appeal)
Three-year reduction in sentence for offences of section 18 GBH and burglary
R v S (Maidstone Crown Court)
Successful defence of allegation of controlling or coercive behaviour
R v S (Canterbury Crown Court)
Knifepoint robbery