Crime

BSB Barristers’ Register

Edward is a specialist criminal advocate with a wide range of experience of serious and complex cases, often involving organised crime. His practice is split between prosecuting and defending.

Defence Work

Defending, Edward has earned a reputation as an extremely thorough advocate who prepares his cases meticulously. He is well-used to defending multi-handed cases, as well as defendants being tried alone. He is unafraid to challenge the prosecution on the law but has the experience to understand when to confront matters head on, and when to contest matters in a more subtle way.

Prosecution Work

When prosecuting, Edward has a wealth of experience in dealing with financial crime, including VAT and tax frauds, mortgage and DWP fraud, PONZI schemes, vehicle fraud and money laundering, as well as restraint and confiscation. Edward recently prosecuted a number of cases involving large-scale fraudulent activity arising out of organised immigration crime. He is regularly instructed by the Complex Casework Unit.

Edward has a keen understanding of POCA and the confiscation regime. He has conducted countless cash seizure hearings and in 2017 acted for Wiltshire Police in a series of £6 million POCA proceedings.

Edward has wide experience of successfully prosecuting large-scale drug importations, conspiracies to burgle, conspiracies to commit robbery, as well as offences of serious violence and fatal driving offence cases. His attention to detail and his ease with explaining complicated concepts and complicated evidence to the jury has been the subject of judicial praise.

Regulatory and Local Government

Edward is a specialist in regulatory crime and licensing. He is instructed by a large number of Local Authorities to prosecute serious and complex cases, often invoving large numbers of complainants and high value losses.

He advises and represents Police Forces on alcohol and other Licensing Act 2003 matters. He has also advised and represented objectors (including Local Authorities and the Police) in respect of a number of music festivals.

He regularly represents both the Police and appellants in shotgun and firearm appeals. His five years in the British Army as an infantry officer gave him a depth of experience in the detail of weapons and weapon safety matters.

Edward has significant experience of the disclosure regime and is regularly instructed by Police Forces to advise on disclosure issues.

In addition Edward is comfortable operating in the “civil/crime crossover,” regularly appearing in the High Court to obtain the appointment of Enforcement Receivers, to obtain injunctive relief on behalf of Financial Investigators, and obtain Civil Restraint Orders against vexatious litigants.

Prosecution work

Edward has been prosecuting Consumer Protections Regs, animal welfare, food safety and Trade Marks Act matters for Unitary, County and Borough Councils for over 10 years.

His experience and temperament mean that he is able to explain the often complicated legal concepts and evidence of regulatory offences to the jury in a clear way that ensure they understand the full extent of the prosecution case. 

Licensing

Edward is instructed by Local Authorities and Police Forces to oppose applications for licenses, or to present licence review proceedings. He appears before Licensing Sub-Committees and before the Justices on appeal. He takes a pragmatic approach to each case, searching for the best outcome for those instructing him, making sure that decisions are taken as part of a collaborative process.

Firearms

Edward has a depth of understanding about gun ownership and uses this to his advantage when appearing in firearm appeals. He appreciates that there are often a selection of possible outcomes to a firearms appeal and is careful always to keep his clients appraised of the possible resolutions. He is equally comfortable appearing for the appellant and the respondent.

Health & Safety

Edward defends and prosecutes in Health and Safety prosecutions, including cases concerning roofing and scaffolding, cases of exposure to asbestos and cases related to explosives and fireworks. He is noted for his ability to explain the often complicated legislative framework to lay clients, so that they can be fully involved in the decision-making of their own case.