Criminal
Stephen is recommended as a Leading Junior in Chambers and Partners for his fraud work. He is experienced in paper heavy cases of complexity including sensitive issues of disclosure, legal professional privilege and public interest immunity often international in scope.
He is regularly instructed to prosecute and defend in cases of murder and attempted murder and has experience relating particularly to complicated neuropathological evidence.
He is regularly instructed in large regulatory offending by both individuals and companies, notably defending multi-billion pound corporate clients in relation to heath and safety, environmental and Trading Standards prosecutions ranging in seriousness from technical weights and measures offences to breaches of health and safety regulations resulting in death.
Stephen has considerable experience of cases involving rape and other serious sexual offences.
Stephen is able to understand complex issues and communicate them in clear language to those he represents. He is widely recognised for his level of skill and detail.
His list of lay clients includes Rolls Royce PLC, Joy Mining PLC, UK Wood PLC, Princes Ltd and Northern Gas Networks Ltd.
Recent instructions have included the prosecution of matters relating to terrorism.
Criminal Cases
R v A B & Others (2021), Instructed to represent a teenager, 17 at the time, for the alleged murder of a man who attended an address in Bradford seeking drugs. The defendant was one of four on trial who each sought to blame AB for the death. Stephen cross examined the Neuropathologist in relation to complicated opinion evidence relating to the evidenced brain injuries.
R v CE (2021), instructed to represent this youth in relation to an allegation of one punch manslaughter.
R v RC & Others (2020), Defendant a young man alleged to have attempted to kill a rival gang member in Sheffield. Following a dismissal argument and before trial, the Crown dropped all offences against the defendant.
Operation Hairball (2020) Leading Counsel for successful prosecution of 12 members of an organised crime group after the disruption of the largest commercial counterfeit cigarette and hand rolling tobacco production line was discovered in the United Kingdom.
Barker & Goldsmith, Newcastle Crown Court (2019) Successful prosecution for murder case that was particularly difficult due to the severe mental and physical disabilities of the defendant and expert evidence was central to prove defendant participated in actions.
R -v- Khaliq and others, Sheffield Crown Court (2019) Defence of man in the latest Rotherham Grooming trial following the death of one of the complainants.
R -v- Louis Duxbury, York Crown Court (2019) Successful prosecution of a man who posted a video after the London Bridge terrorist attack, suggesting it was not extremism but Islam which was responsible for the terrorist actions.
R -v- David Octavious Pearson, Manchester Crown Court (2019) Instructed by the specialist confiscation unit of the CPS to prosecute a variation in this confiscation order.
R -v- Nikki Deaney, Nottingham Crown Court (2017) Defence of a carer who was prosecuted after she lost sight of a vulnerable man with special needs she was responsible for during an activity day at a lake. Tragically, the man was found minutes later having drowned following a suspected seizure at the lakeside.
R -v- Tarmac Trading Ltd, Liverpool Crown Court (2016) Defence of the Company following the tragic death of a pedestrian killed by a motorist passing through roadworks.
Operation Dedlock (2016) Successful prosecution of a Teesside Gang responsible for the movement of kilos of heroin, cocaine, amphetamine and a shotgun into Middlesbrough.
Operation Tavernhouse (2016) Successful prosecution of West Yorkshire factory owner Mohammed Rafiq in a people trafficking case. Trafficked men were forced to work up to 16 hours a day for as little as £10 per week, with up to 43 men living in a 4-bedroomed house.
R -v- Jumaane Bruce, Manchester Crown Court (2015) Successful prosecution. In revenge for a slight made by another man on a busy Stockport street, the Defendant disguised himself and retrieved a shotgun, discharging that firearm and causing damage to an innocent by-stander’s car in order to cause fear.
R -v- Manners, Alcock and Estridge, Manchester Crown Court (2015) Successful prosecution of Stockport armourer Manners, and Liverpool criminals Alcock and Estridge following a botched gun exchange which saw a hand gun and ammunition abandoned in a Stockport residential hedgerow, only to be discovered by local children playing.
R -v- R, Bradford Crown Court (2015) Defence of a property developer who faced multiple counts of fraud relating to land and property developments, and financial contracts in Crete totalling in excess of 5 million pounds.
R -v- Richard Lyne, Teesside Crown Court (2013) Successful defence of an employee alleged to have used his position as a web-developer to award contracts to his own company worth in excess of 1 million pounds without permission, and profiting in excess of £200,000.
Operation Dumpcart/Dorsal (2012-13) Successful prosecution of 17 Defendants involved in a large-scale VAT reclaim fraud. All of the Defendants charged were convicted.
Regina -v- UK Wood PLC, Teesside Crown Court (2013) Defence of the Company following the tragic death of a worker killed when he walked into the path of a large “front loading shovel” vehicle. Unintended breaches of Health and Safety Regulations were found to have contributed to this accidental death.
Regina -v- Rolls Royce PLC, Derby Crown Court (2013) Defence of this leading £ multi-billion corporate entity in relation to alleged Health and Safety breaches at one of their factories.
Regina -v- Joy Mining Ltd, Leeds Crown Court (2012) Led by Peter Gower QC, represented a £2 billion global company as they were prosecuted following the death of a miner beneath hydraulic props they manufactured.
