Band 2
Provided by Simon Spence KC
Simon's practice is a mix of prosecution and defence work. In 2008 he was junior for the prosecution of Steve Wright, convicted of the murders of five Ipswich women. Since taking silk in 2009, Simon’s cases have included the defence of a householder accused of murder and attempted murder of two intruders into his home, the defence of a 15-year-old boy charged with two stranger murder, the prosecution of a man charged with the double murder of his wife and stepson, the defence of a homeless man accused of murdering a female dog walker in Suffolk, responding to a CCRC reference against a murder conviction, described by the court as “uniquely complex in terms of forensic evidence”. Simon has extensive experience of recent and historic sexual offence cases, particularly concerning young and vulnerable victims and witnesses, including prosecuting a large paedophile ring in Birmingham and two men accused of abusing boys at a school in the 1970s in Worcester. He has defended regulatory and fraud cases, including a Trading Standards prosecution of an accountant acquitted of Conspiracy to Defraud and an ex-professional footballer accused of a £15 million ForEx fraud.
He is a Door Tenant at Dere Street Chambers, York.
Professional Appointments:
Chairman of East Anglian Bar Mess 2010-2020;
Chairman of Essex Bar Mess 2020-2023;
Legal Assessor for the Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons 2014-2020.
Criminal Bar Association;
South-Eastern Circuit;
Northern Circuit;
Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts.
Provided by Chambers
Simon Spence KC has experience defending and prosecuting high-profile criminal cases in London and the South East, including those involving serious sex offences, violence and drug trafficking. He has a growing practice in regulatory issues such as trading standards claims. He also has extensive experience handling serious and complex homicide offences.