Paul Simon

SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIME, FRAUD & FINANCIAL CRIME

He is instructed regularly in large and complex cases with an international dimension. These are often in the areas of Serious Organised Crime, Fraud and Financial Crime.

He has conducted these cases both alone and as a led junior. These include allegations of:

• Money Laundering;
• Conspiracy to Defraud;
• Boiler Room Fraud;
• EU Regulation Conspiracy
• Drugs Importation.

R v Warner – Ongoing - Subject of Appeal against conviction – Blackfriars CC -Conspiracy ; 200KG Cocaine Importation at Tilbury Docks. One of the biggest ever importations of cocaine onto the British mainland.

R v Hamberger – Ongoing - Subject of Appeal to Strasbourg - Conspiracy – Principal of four conspirators to distribute 205 kilos of  Cannabis resin imported from Spain - Fitness issues; cardiological; Described as at April 2017 by the Judge at Southwark Crown Court as  ‘the oldest case in the Southwark list’ (A remarkable matter at the fraud trial centre for England and Wales); Fitness to plead; Heart; Live link evidence; Parallel proceedings; Stress / Absence; Defence evidence; Hearsay evidence; Ill health; Live link evidence.

This case has been subject to two appeals to the CoA, a Nolle Prosequi application and now a second application to Strasbourg.

[2014] EWHC 2814 (Admin); [2017] EWCA Crim 273

R v Luke Pope and 5 others – Boiler Room Fraud; Rare Earth Metals; Truro Crown Court – 6 week trial. Acquittal

R v Court– VAT Fraud - led junior for First Defendant in a 6 handed 3 ½ month multi-million pound VAT Fraud/MTIC trial, acquitted on 2 of 4 counts. Director of logistics company in £4 million VAT, fuel fraud and goods conspiracies involving false identity factory. Subsequent confiscation proceedings - negotiated a half million pounds reduction in available assets sought by the Crown.

R v Michael Singh / Thorn International and others– Basildon Crown Court -Conspiracy to transport Hazardous Waste contrary to EU Regulations – Led Junior in this 12 handed matter.

R v Hatton– Drug Production – Leading junior in this case involving the alleged production of drugs in an industrial unit.  Issues of fitness to stand trial and the admissibility of evidence at trial adduced by a psychiatrist pre-trial, as to the substantive offending.

R v Kawani and 5 others – Tobacco Importation  / Conspiracy to Supply  - Southwark Crown Court.

R v Kiwanuka– Snaresbrook Crown Court - £1million Cocaine importation –interception by customs at Stansted airport.

R v Proudfoot– Luton Crown Court -  High Value Theft –£100,000 Champagne diversion heist from lorry carrying the goods from Hungary. DNA, Identification evidence, Abuse of Process argument; missing CCTV. Acquittal

R v Cooper – Possession with intent, Class A – Woolwich Crown Court - Delivery driver found to be in possession of over half a million pounds worth of Class A drugs in a holdall in the back of van. Acquittal

R v Barrette – Possession with intent to supply cocaine –  Snaresbrook Crown Court -Cocaine discovered in home of defendant with fingerprint. Acquittal

SERIOUS SEXUAL OFFENCES & VIOLENT CRIME

In addition he is instructed in a wide variety of cases including allegations of:

• Attempted Murder;
• Serious Sexual Offences and;
• Serious Violent Crime.

R v G Lewis  -Rape  - Allegation of Rape at party. DNA. Aylesbury Crown Court.  Acquittal

R v Barrett  -Assault by Penetration – DNA .Aylesbury Crown Court. Acquittal

R v Lakatus  - Ongoing – Att Murder / GBH - Harrow Crown Court  - Alleged frenzied Knife attack.

R v J Ali and 6 others – Conspiracy to cause S18 GBH; Aylesbury at Amersham Crown Court – second defendant  - shootings  /pitched weaponised battle ; 5 weeks trial;–. Acquittal of 2 of 4 counts.

R v Coker- Rape / Underage Sex  –Central Criminal Court - sex with a child of 14. DNA evidence and alleged confession.

R v Nanika- GBH S18- Street battle between gangs.

R v Massett – Possession of Firearms – Firearms found in car driven by defendant. Acquittal

R v Taylor Crawford – Possession of Firearms – Firearm used to make threats at bystanders who captured events on mobile phone.

R v Hutchinson – Attempted GBH s18 - knife attack on two police officers.

R v Girt – Robbery – Violent assault by 4 individuals on taxi driver captured on CCTV. Successful argument that violence took place after alleged theft and therefore not robbery. Acquittal

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

• Criminal Bar Association
• South Eastern Circuit
• Direct Public Access Accredited

INTERESTS

• Racket Sports / Marathon Running
• Music;Books
• Manchester United