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Andrew Ronald Cohen 

 

Year of Call: 1982

Education: 

B.A. (hons) law and politics with philosophy and maths

University of Keele

Inns of Court School of Law – Bar Finals

Inn: 

Gray’s Inn

Areas of Work

Andrew joined 9 KBW in 2021, having established himself, over a nearly 40 year period, as a specialist in defence criminal work of all types and at all levels. After working for two leading human rights sets Andrew practised for ten years as a sole practitioner before bringing his valuable expertise to 9KBW.

Andrew has been regularly instructed as both Leading and Junior Counsel in many high profile cases as well as representing defendants in the full range of more routine cases. The majority of his work relates to crimes involving serious sexual offences, the large scale importation and supply of Class A drugs, gang crime and other cases involving the most serious violence, including murder and manslaughter and he often represents defendants in lengthy multi-handed trials requiring expert knowledge of often complex law.

Andrew prides himself on combining being professional and straightforward with his clients whilst being relatively informal and approachable. He always endeavours to ensure that his clients understand the process that they are going through, at every stage of the trial, and help them choose the correct options available to them.

He is presently instructed in cases awaiting trial that include allegations of murder; manslaughter; section 18; other assault offences; blackmail; large scale money laundering; rape; other sexual offences; downloading child pornography; robbery; public order offences.

Andrew also has a great deal of experience in second opinion appellate work, looking at past cases and advising on possible appeals against conviction and sentence where a previous opinion has been against one or the other. He has been briefed both through solicitors specialising in this area of work, as well as through the Criminal Cases Review Commission. 

Andrew also represents serving prisoners at Parole Board hearings in relation to progress and release within the prison system and recall hearings for those who are said to have breached their licences once released.

 

Notable cases

Offences alleging serious violence

R v CB December 2019

Represented a woman who was alleged to have committed sexual assaults on her long term partner as well as false imprisonment serious physical assaults and controlling and coercive behaviour. The Defendant was acquitted of everything other than an offence of ABH. 

R v PM November- December 2019

Represented one of seven Defendants in a case of kidnapping of an infant from his mother on the street. Difficult issues involving other Defence Counsel choosing to run incompatible defences to that of my lay client. Lay client had a number of special needs that needed to be accommodated in the trial process

R v MD December 2018

Represented one of two Defendants in a case which involved attacks on multiple victims causing life changing injuries.

R. v HS September -October 2018

Successfully represented a Defendant as the only non Q.C. leading counsel, in a six Defendant murder case where the Defendants were alleged to have killed one person in a frenzied knife attack. The Defendant was unanimously acquitted of all charges after a six week trial.

R v AM July 2018

Successfully represented a Defendant who was one of six individuals allegedly involved in a large violent disorder, which involved a long term feud between two neighbouring families

R v C C April 2018

Represented a Defendant who, was along with a Co Defendant, were alleged to be involved in the kidnapping, false imprisonment and serious physical mistreatment of an individual arising out of drugs debts

R v AB March 2018

Successfully represented a Defendant who was charged with multiple counts of harassment and serious violence against a former partner

R v BQ October 2017

Successfully represented a person who was employed as a carer for an adult with extreme learning difficulties, who had allegedly engaged in serious physical abuse of that person. The case involved having to prepare very challenging cross examinations appropriate for a very vulnerable adult.

R v SN May- June 2017

Successfully represented a Defendant in a three Defendant murder case where the Defendants were alleged to have on one occasion killed one person and attempted to murder another. The Defendant was unanimously acquitted of all charges after a five week trial.

R v AR January 2017

Represented a Defendant in a two week trial in which the allegations were ones of sexual assault, false imprisonment, robbery, and causing GBH with intent.  The allegations were of the utmost seriousness as the victim of the GBH had been left in a permanent vegetative state.

R v OE December 2015

Represented the Defendant in a four week trial in Snaresbrook Crown Court where it was alleged that he and others had become involved in a major public order incident and  engaged in serious violence in broad daylight, as part of  an inter gang drugs feud. There were legal issues in relation to the admissibility of bad character and evidence relating to gang membership was successfully prevented from being made admissible

R v PJ  Court   September 2015

Represented the Defendant in a five week trial in Snaresbrook Crown Court where it was alleged that he and others had conspired to engage in serious violence as part of an inter-gang drugs feud. A number of complex legal issues arose  in relation to the admissibility of bad character, and evidence relating to gang membership was successfully prevented from being made admissible

R v D A July  2015

Represented a Defendant in a serious threats to kill matter which had a strong anti-terrorism element due to various obsessions that the Defendant had. This was a Defendant who had displayed serious mental health issues.

R v AG November 2014

Represented the Defendant in a four week trial in Snaresbrook Crown Court where it was alleged that he had attempted to murder a member of a rival gang in East London.  There were a number of legal issues to be addressed concerning the admissibility of bad character evidence relating to gang membership

R v Y and others February 2012

Represented a Defendant in a multi handed one month murder trial “The Rose Lane Car Park” murder.

 

Sexual Offences

R v CB December 2019

Represented a woman who was alleged to have committed sexual assaults on her long term partner, as well as false imprisonment, serious physical assaults and controlling and coercive behaviour. The Defendant was acquitted on all counts other than one offence of ABH.

R .v SC September 2019

Represented a man accused of historic sexual offences, against two female cousins when they were very young and he was a teenager.  The Defendant in this case had considerable mental health issues.

R v W April 2019

Successfully represented a man alleged to have raped and falsely imprisoned an ex-partner

R. v AC September 2017

Successfully defended a man accused of sexual offences against a minor

R v KO June 2016

Successfully represented a Defendant who had been alleged to have downloaded child pornography. As a consequence of an expert witness, defence report the case was dropped the day before the trial was due to commence.

R v WM May 2016

Successfully represented a teacher who had been alleged to have sexually assaulted a teenage girl over a period of time.

R v DC March 2016

Represented a young Defendant with serious developmental issues who was alleged to have sexually assaulted a young teenager. He pleaded guilty and avoided a sentence of immediate imprisonment

 

Firearms Offences

R. v JR October 2019

Represented this Defendant who pleaded guilty on the day of trial in multi-handed case involving large scale drug dealing and possession of knives and firearms

R v NE March 2018

Represented a Defendant in a four Defendant trial where multiple weapons and firearms found in a car stopped by police. This case was made more difficult by the Defendant being a young man with learning difficulties

R v NR  April 2017

Represented a Defendant in a multi defendant case which in he and two others were alleged to have been in possession of a large quantity of class A drugs, firearms, ammunition and other serious weapons. The case was due to be a two week trial.   Successful negotiations  with the Prosecution resulted in some of the more serious charges being dropped after he agreed to plead guilty to other less serious offences.

R v FM April 2016

Represented a Defendant who was indicted with others for a conspiracy to transfer weapons that included sub machine gun, pistols and ammunition

R v ER  January 2016

Represented the Defendant in a ten week trial where he and a number of others were alleged to be involved in a drugs related firearms and ammunitions conspiracy.  This was a follow on case from the previous one (below) in 2014

 

Drugs Offences

R. v JR October 2019

Represented this Defendant who pleaded guilty on the day of trial in multi -handed case involving large scale drug dealing and possession of knives and firearms

R. v June 2019

Represented a Defendant who was alleged to have had a leading role in a multi-million pound drugs conspiracy. The Defendant eventually pleaded guilty at the end of the Prosecution case when the Prosecution conceded that he had a much lesser role than they had originally stated.

R. v RH April 2019

Represented a Defendant who along with a number of others pleaded guilty to numerous allegation of drugs supply relating to a ” County Lines” Police operation

R v JE February 2016

Represented a Defendant alleged to be part of a major class B drug supply conspiracy.

 

Acquisitive Crime

R. v YK March 2019

Successfully represented a Defendant in a seven Defendant conspiracy to Rob case that lasted four weeks.

R v ST December- November 2018

Represented the principal Defendant in a four Defendant, four week tarmacking fraud conspiracy

R. v H Y April 2017

Represented a Defendant who was accused of blackmail which involved threatening to publicise photographs of a female, which she had sent to him.

R v WS October 2016

Acted as leading Counsel in an eight week case where I represented a Defendant who was alleged to be a pivotal figure in an immigration fraud that arose out of a Panorama investigation. This was a trial involving 6 Defendants and this Defendant was one of two who were not convicted at this trial.  Most parties involved in the case had were represented by Queens Counsel.

R v AZ November 2015

Represented a Defendant in a month long trial who, along with 11 others, was accused of being part of a sophisticated banking fraud.  The majority of the Co Defendants pleaded guilty.

 

Languages

Andrew is fluent in Italian as well as being able to engage in conversational French and Spanish.

 

Mr Andrew Cohen is regulated by the Bar Standards Board, holds a current practising certificate and his details can be found on the BSB’s Barrister Register https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/regulatory-requirements/the-barristers'-register/

Mr Andrew Cohen holds insurance cover for all legal services supplied through professional indemnity insurance with the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund (BMIF) The coverage is worldwide subject to their terms which are available on their website https://www.barmutual.co.uk/

Mr Andrew Cohen is registered with the Information Commissioners office under the Data Protection Act https://ico.org.uk/

If you are not satisfied with the service that Mr Andrew Cohen provides you can make a complaint to Chambers. Information on Chambers Complaints Procedure is available on Chambers website www.9kbw.com/about-us/complaints-procedure

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from Chambers you may complain to the Legal Ombudsman (This must be done within the time limits set out) The contact details can be found on the Legal Ombudsman’s website  http://www.legalombudsman.org.uk/    

A copy of Mr Andrew Cohen’s Privacy Notice with details of his Privacy Policy can be found by Clicking Here

News

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