Justin Rouse KC

Practice Areas

An experienced Silk with a strong record in both prosecuting and defending grave and high profile criminal matters including murder, serious sexual offences, historic allegations, multi-million pound drug importation and dealing, armed robbery and other firearms related offences. Described as “devastating in defending complex fraud and acquisitive crime” having acted in one of the largest VAT frauds ever prosecuted.

His Forces background gives him insight when defending in Courts Martial cases. He has represented forces personnel across the UK and in Germany on serious offences including rape and grievous bodily harm with an outstanding success rate. He uses his knowledge of firearms to benefit civilian clients. This expertise is also deployed to privately defend allegations of wildlife crime, some of which require press sensitive management.

Although now principally a defence advocate in Silk, he has lectured on sexual offences, advised on the drafting of legislation for Parliament on both wildlife crime and cheating the public revenue (2022). His background in prosecuting (he was promoted to Grade 4 as prosecution counsel, served as London RASSO rape accredited counsel and trained whilst a KC at CPS HQ in extradition work) has been put to good use in defending cases in these fields.

Career

BA (Hons)

Inns of Court School of Law

Called 1982

Pupillage at CCC with First Senior Treasury Counsel

Grade 4 and RASSO prosecutor

Recorder (Appeals & Serious Sex tickets) 2004 - present

Silk: 2015 - present

Professional Memberships

Criminal Bar Association, South Eastern Circuit, BASC, Lincoln’s Inn.