Criminal
First and foremost, Andy is a criminal barrister, having appeared as leading junior, led junior and junior alone in lengthy jury trials of the utmost gravity and complexity in all aspects of serious and heavyweight criminal work. He has a wealth of experience of advocacy at all levels from jury trials through to the Appellate courts.
Andy has practised extensively in all areas of criminal law representing those facing the most serious charges in cases involving: murder; attempted murder; gang related violence; terrorism; high-end drugs importation and supply; firearms offences; fraud; money laundering; people trafficking; serious sexual offences; and multi-million pound confiscation under POCA.
He has a substantial defence practice, frequently representing members of alleged National and International Organised Crime Groups, specialising in cases involving serious organised crime and fraud. Andy accepts instructions throughout the UK and, where necessary, those involving international jurisdictions.
Serious and complex drug importations and distribution have for a long time featured in Andy’s practice. He has, for many years, been involved in cases involving large scale and sophisticated conspiracies concerning the movement of drugs into, and around, the UK. Most notably, a recent case involving conspiracy to import heroin, where the amount of drugs being imported from Turkey was in excess of 200 Kilograms, with a value of £166 million.
Instructed consistently in substantial and complex cases of fraud which, by definition, entail dealing with voluminous case papers requiring extensive and detailed case preparation
Dedicated and extremely passionate about the work he undertakes, Andy applies a determined approach to each individual case. His meticulous attention to detail coupled with an inherent strong work ethic ensures that he is able to provide all of his lay and professional clients with an exceptional service. He works closely with professional clients at every stage of a case and is always available to provide advice and support throughout the preparation of the difficult and sensitive cases in which he is involved.
Courts-Martial
Having appeared in military courts for the Defence throughout his career, Andy defends serving men and women from all three arms of the Services (Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force) dealing with cases of the utmost gravity across the whole range of military and civilian offences.
Andy is able to provide advocacy and advice in the following types of military cases:
Courts Martial in the UK (at ‘CMCs’) or abroad;
Appeals to the Courts Martial Appeal Court; and
Cases involving service personnel before UK Civilian Courts.
Sports Law
Andy also has experience in matters of Sports Law and can provide representation, throughout the majority of sports, for athletes appearing before their respective governing bodies in relation to regulatory matters.
Recent and Current Cases
Multi-Handed Drug and Firearms Operations
Current ongoing Operations
Operation Erath 2019-2020
Manchester Crown Court
Operation Longridge 2020
Bolton Crown Court
Operation Vulpine 2020
Manchester Crown Court
Concluded Operations
Operation Cosmetic 2018
Manchester Crown Court
Junior Alone, for the Defence: concerned a two-month trial of a multi-handed conspiracy involving the importation and onward supply of 33 kilograms of cocaine and firearms throughout the United Kingdom and the setting-up of an Amphetamine factory.
Operation Cartoon 2018
Manchester Crown Court
Junior Alone, for the Defence: two-month trial concerning a multi-handed, multi-million pound importation of 220 kilograms of heroin into the United Kingdom from Turkey.
Operation Gamber 2018
Minshull Street Crown Court
Junior Alone for the Defence: multi-handed conspiracy to supply multi-kilogram quantities of Cocaine and Diamorphine (in excess of 15 kilograms) throughout the North-West and West Midlands.
Operation Vertex 2018
Manchester Crown Court
Junior Alone for the Defence: conspiracy to supply multi-kilogram quantities of Cocaine (with a ‘street value’ of £2.5 million) throughout the North of England and Midlands. The case involved a substantial amount of cell-site evidence and telecommunications data.
Operation Titanic 2018
Preston Crown Court
Junior Alone for the Defence: conspiracy to supply multi-kilogram quantities of Class A drugs by a London based Organised Crime Group in to the North and North-West of England using the ‘County Lines’ method of supply.
Operation Samurai 2018
Liverpool Crown Court
Junior Alone for the Defence: conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs, prohibited firearms and ammunition by an Organised Crime Group based in Warrington, Cheshire which was responsible for supplying large quantities of controlled drugs to other drug dealers for onward supply.
Operation Bullfight 2017
Liverpool Crown Court
Junior Alone for the Defence: cross-border conspiracy to supply multi-kilograms of Class A and B drugs (and money laundering) by a Merseyside based Organised Crime Group.
Operation Supola 2016
Liverpool Crown Court
Junior Alone, for the Lead Defendant: Defence of the head of a prominent Organised Crime Group in north Liverpool (the Fernhill Crew). Conspiracies included trafficking quantities of Class A and B drugs into prison over several months.
Operation Skyhawk 2014
Teesside Crown Court
Junior alone for the Defence – multiple conspiracies involving the trafficking of Class A and B drugs, by a North-East based Organised Crime Group, throughout the United Kingdom.
Murder
R v M.B. 2017
Manchester Crown Square
Led Junior, for the Defence: murder of a schoolgirl who was sexually assaulted and murdered in Wigan, Greater Manchester.
R v A.A. (a Youth) 2017
Manchester Crown Court
Junior Alone for the Defence: the Defendant (aged 17) was charged with the murder of his father. He was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and was deemed unfit to plead. It was apparent that upon being determined fit to plead, the Defendant would plead to guilty to manslaughter, which was acceptable to the Crown. Ultimately the case was disposed of by way of Hospital Order.
R v MK (and Others) 2017
Manchester Crown Square
Leading Junior for the Defence: Defending the third teenage Defendant following a fatal stabbing in the street in Manchester.
R v K. K. 2015
Manchester Crown Square
Junior Alone for the Defence: murder, by a Romanian national, of his wife in the presence of their two children.
Attempt Murder
R v Parker & McNally 2019
Preston Crown Court
Led Junior, for the Crown: three-week trial which concerned the brutal attack of a vulnerable male by the two female Defendants. Both Defendants were ultimately convicted, one of whom received a discretionary life sentence.
R v A.H. (& Others) 2018
Minshull Street Crown Court
Junior Alone, for the Lead Defendant: series of brutal attacks by a group of youths locally known as ‘The Westwood Tram Gang’.
Multi -Handed Conspiracy to Steal
Operation Rumble 2019
Carlisle Crown Court
Junior Alone for the Defence: conspiracy to steal – which ran for one year – targeting cashpoint machines (‘ATMs’) within Cumbria in order to steal cash. The trial involved significant issues relating to DNA analysis [‘moveable objects’] and subsequent cross-examination of forensic experts.
Operation Atmosphere 2018
Leicester Crown Court
Junior alone for the Lead Defendant: ‘Operation Atmosphere’ concerned an exhaustive investigation into organised crime conducted by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit in relation to a series of explosive attacks upon Automated Teller Machines (‘ATMs’), throughout Leicestershire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire and Staffordshire.
Serious Fraud
Current Operations
‘Operation Beetle’ 2020
Southwark Crown Court
Concluded Operations
‘Operation Bauera’ R v W.B. (& Others) 2019 -2020
Southwark Crown Court
Junior Alone for the Defence: conspiracy which involved the ‘laundering’ of £1.25 million fraudulently obtained from an internationally renowned UK commercial and residential property company based in London and Luxembourg.
‘Operation Redmill’ R v K.S. (& Others) 2019
Preston Crown Court
Junior Alone for the Defence: multi-defendant, multi-million pound conspiracy to launder monies from high-value stolen goods.
