UK Bar
Practice Areas
David maintains a split between fraud work and serious organised crime and is an acknowledged leader in both fields. He also has considerable experience in the regulatory field. Historically, David defended Stephen Port who was accused of the murder of four young men by drugging them and placing three of their bodies in Barking Abbey churchyard and defended in Operation Amazon (an alleged tax avoidance scheme to cheat HMRC). More recently he has advised a defendant successfully in a pre-trial international corruption case which was eventually dropped by the SFO. This year he has, amongst other cases, defended a young man accused of murder, achieving a manslaughter verdict and a mentally compromised man who was acquitted of three counts of attempted murder, being convicted instead of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Career
Queen's (now King’s) Counsel, 1998; Recorder of the Crown Court, 2000; Bencher of Muddke Temple, Head of Chambers, 2005-2012. David has had a long connection with film and television media, advising on Kavanagh QC, Judge John Deed and many other fictional and fact-based productions. He was the legal adviser on Channel 4’s ‘The Trial: A Murder in the Family’, highlighting how a jury deliberates in a criminal trial.
Professional Memberships
Former Chairman of the Professional Conduct and Professional Practice Committees. Member Criminal Bar Association.