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Simon Csoka KCYear of Call: 1991
Silk: 2011
Expert InAccount Freezing & Asset ForfeitureAppellateBusiness CrimeCivil FraudCivil LitigationCommercial LitigationCriminal DefenceHomicideHuman Trafficking & Modern SlaveryJudicial ReviewPOCA and section 10A litigantsPrivate ProsecutionsProfessional DisciplineRegulatoryRegulatory ProsecutionsRestraint OrdersSexual OffencesTax TribunalTerrorism
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Dr Beatrice Krebs
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Felicity was instructed by the Australian Centre for International Justice and led Daye Gang of the Victorian Bar You can read the JFM press release here justiceformyanmar.org/press-r…
Latest News
Gerard Hillman and Adrian Kayne successful in defence of first defendant in Operation Silver
Gerard and Adrian’s client was arrested with 2 kg of cocaine and a large amount of adulterant on 2 separate occasions less than a month apart.
Operation Silver involved the supply of vast amounts of heroin, cocaine and MDMA. Evidence included the conspirators use of over 800 kg of adulterant.
Gerard and Adrian’s client’s defence was based on their client being a modern slave. The jury unanimously acquitted their client on all counts after a 6-week trial.
Gerard and Adrian were instructed by Tom Trobe of Pure Law Solicitors in Cardiff.
Libertas Chambers
James Doyle Defends Client In 8 Day Firearms Trial At Croydon CC
James Doyle, instructed by Goran Stojsavljevic of Berkeley Square Solicitors, defended Sheraz Majeed in an 8 day trial at Croydon Crown Court in respect of allegation of 8 counts of firearms offences.
The defendant ran a dry-cleaners in Thornton Heath, which was the subject of a raid by firearms officers in October 2020 as part of Operation Trident in execution of a search warrant following a shooting in nearby Mitcham.
An automatic Glock 17 firearm, together with two silencers and 48 bullets were found by the police in a laundry basket at the back of the defendant’s shop. The defendant, who worked 6 days per week in his shop, denied all knowledge of the weapon. He was unable to explain how it had got into the laundry basket in his shop.
The defendant employed four people at the time of the raid. None of those individuals were arrested.
At trial, the prosecution stated that the police had found “an assassin’s toolkit”.
The defendant was unanimously acquitted on the 8 counts he faced on the trial indictment alleging offences of possession of the firearm, the two silencers and the ammunition with intent to endanger life and simple possession of those items.
Libertas Chambers
Darren Snow defends at the NMC on Sexual Assault Allegations
Darren Snow, instructed by Zach Jones of the Royal College of Nursing Legal Team, defended a nurse before the NMC Fitness to Practice Panel in respect of multiple allegations of sexual assault against a patient and colleague.
The allegations spanned between 2012 and 2017. Darren’s client had been initially cleared in a 2012 hospital investigation and then acquitted of all charges in a crown court trial.
The Nursing & Midwifery Council then instigated fitness to practice proceedings culminating in a hearing in May 2024, by which time the allegations were all very old and the NMC case relied upon witnesses who had already given evidence in the crown court trial where the jury had found the nurse not guilty.
The defence team were able to use transcripts from the crown court trial as well as documents from the original hospital investigation to demonstrate the unreliability of the evidence, inconsistencies in the witness accounts and secure the exclusion of significant hearsay material on grounds of unfairness.
All charges were dismissed by the Fitness to Practice Panel hearing the case.
Libertas Chambers
Latest Insights
Sending Christine Keeler to prison was a National disgrace
By Dr Felicity Gerry KC
I am delighted to see our campaign for the posthumous exoneration of Christine Keeler being covered for 4 days in The Mirror.
The campaign is being brought by her son Seymour Platt who was left the task of telling her real story in her will. At the height of the “Profumo Scandal” Christine was the victim of a violent assault by a man called Lucky Gordon. He was prosecuted but sacked his lawyers and represented himself. In cross examination of her, he admitted assaulting her. She told the police she had not mentioned two other witnesses because they asked her not to. On the suggestion that she had lied about about who was present, Gordon’s conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal (the court unusually expressing their belief that Christine was telling the truth). Nonetheless she was prosecuted for perjury and PCJ. She pleaded guilty and was sent to prison.
She was under terrible pressure. For example, news reports account members of the public throwing eggs at her outside the Old Bailey in Stephen Ward’s trial where she was also wrongly accused of being a sex worker. Ward took his life before verdicts on whether it could be shown he was not living on her “immoral” earnings. These events framed Christine Keeler appallingly for the rest of her life, as Seymour Platt has explained in the Mirror. The law on the charges Christine faced (despite being a victim) only applies if there is a “material lie”. That Christine did not state that two other men were present when she was violently assaulted was totally irrelevant, especially as a proper investigation would have revealed they saw the attack and because her attacker admitted in court he assaulted her The Criminal Cases Review Commission is now quite properly investigating the case.
The implications of the comments her silk Jeremy Hutchinson QC made at the time made it obvious she pleaded guilty when she was not, and she was shamed, unlike others whose reputation has been restored. There is a real risk that she was wrongly convicted. Sending her to prison was dreadful and she rightly deserves a posthumous exoneration. It would also go a long way to reframing a case that is the epitome of slut shaming, fitting with modern CPS guidance on violence against women and girls
Libertas Chambers
Chambers Article: Rule 25.9(2)(c): Defence Statements and ‘openings’
Traditionally in England and Wales the defence may give an opening address at the start of the defence case, but only where evidence is to be called other than from the accused person. In many cases this means that the issues are not identified clearly until a late stage and in long cases there can be an advantage to the prosecution to dominate the trial issues.
In a recent webinar we discussed this topic of delivery of defence openings / summary of issues and how defence statements can be framed to support a defence opening.
This article is a summary of the key provisions discussed.
Click below to read in full.
Download Article now
To stay up to date with insight articles, webinars and chamber news why not subscribe to Libertas Lens (our periodic newsletter) – Click here to register
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Chambers Article: The ‘Fediverse’ vs P2P: The next generation of digital forensics
The courts of England and Wales may still be dealing with the many EncroChat-related prosecutions, but technology has already moved on. While many are focused on AI and its potential for misuse, what some overlook are the networks on which these platforms operate. You may never have heard of the ‘fediverse’ but, if you practise criminal law, you should understand the basics, says Benjamin Knight.
Click below to read in full.
Download Article now
To stay up to date with insight articles, webinars and chamber news why not subscribe to Libertas Lens (our periodic newsletter) – Click here to register
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Latest Events
Dr Felicity Gerry KC will be at the International Bar Association Conference in Paris from 29 Oct to 3 Nov
Dr Felicity Gerry KC will be at the International Bar Association Conference in Paris from 29 Oct to 3 Nov – She is the Asia Pacific Member of the Criminal Law Committee – if you are attending, she would be delighted to meet you
Conference details here #IBA2023 https://www.ibanet.org/conference-details/CONF2244.
Felicity is currently awaiting verdicts in the Al Hassan trial at the ICC and drafted the memorandum that led to the $82m divestment of the Golden City Investment Scheme in Myanmar. She was recently listed as one of the top 5 international lawyers you would want on your side – details here https://lawandcrime.com/partner-content/meet-the-top-5-international-lawyers-you-want-on-your-side/amp/
Libertas Chambers
Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month
NOTE: This event has now been cancelled.
Libertas Chambers members celebrate South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) with a wide-ranging panel discussion on legal issues and careers to honour, recognize, and appreciate South Asian history and culture, as well as to comprehend the rich cultural legacy of countries within South Asia. This webinar presented by our members celebrates the accomplishments and legacy of individuals with origins in the South Asian countries.
Presented by our members with South Asian heritage who have expertise in corporate and criminal law on issues concerning South Asian business, countries and heritage in celebration of South Asian heritage month. We are proud to have several practitioners of South Asian origin, which make up 20% of our staff and a collective command of 8 different regional languages.
To ensure you don’t miss out on future events please register for our newsletter by clicking here.
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Webinar Video – Defence Statements and Openings: Rule 25.9 and being fair and concise
We recently held a webinar on Defence Statements and Openings: Rule 25.9 and being fair and concise. A practice is growing of asking Defence Counsel to open 1 or 2 sentences after the prosecution opening in serious cases which may not be in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Rules. Rule 25.9, taken together with the overriding objective allows for a fair and concise rehearsal of the issues raised in the defence statement or alternatively for the jury to be given the defence statement. This webinar discusses the delivery of defence openings / summary of issues, how defence statements can be framed to support a defence opening, and what is the bare minimum for opening defence issues which is fair.
Presented by Dr Felicity Gerry KC and Marie Spenwyn
Felicity and Marie have significant experience defending in the most serious of criminal matters including homicide, terrorism and war crimes. Both are co-authors of The Sexual Offences Handbook (3rd Ed forthcoming). They are well versed in taking procedural challenges and taking the best strategic approaches for clients.
To ensure you don’t miss out on future events please register for our newsletter by clicking here.
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