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Alongside his Regulatory and Local Government and Crime Practices, Ethu leads our Police Law team. Ethu is a leading junior barrister with substantial experience in both prosecuting and defending across the full spectrum of criminal law. His practice has a particular focus on fraud, regulatory offences and asset recovery. He is regularly instructed in complex, high-value and multi-handed cases, and has acted as both led junior and leading junior in some of the most demanding criminal and regulatory trials.
Ethu combines formidable legal knowledge with an approachable and meticulous style. He is known for his analytical mind, logical strategy, interpersonal skill, and tenacity. Clients and instructing solicitors value his early involvement in shaping cases, especially in relation to disclosure and evidential strategy.
His practice is nationwide and he is frequently instructed by national and international organisations, local authorities, and government bodies.
Ethu has acted in cases involving a broad range of serious criminal offences including:
– Fraud and conspiracy to defraud
– Fraudulent trading
– Drug manufacture, possession and supply
– Kidnapping, wounding with intent and serious violence
– Sexual offences (including rape, necrophilia and child exploitation)
– Racially aggravated offences
– Dangerous driving
– Burglary, theft and public order offences
He has particular experience in cases involving extensive criminality, multiple defendants, large volumes of financial evidence, and the use of offshore jurisdictions to obscure financial trails.
He is also regularly instructed in appeals, judicial reviews and case-stated matters arising from criminal law decisions. This includes issues relating to legal definitions, such as intent, and administrative matters such as non-domestic rate enforcement and emergency service classifications.
Ethu has developed notable expertise in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and related matters. He is frequently instructed in large-scale confiscation and forfeiture proceedings and is often sought after for multi-agency operations involving:
– Terrorism financing
– Human trafficking and sex slavery
– Intellectual property and illegal streaming offences
– Rogue trading and tax evasion
– Video piracy, counterfeiting and mortgage fraud
He has lectured nationally on behalf of the National Police Improvement Agency and is a regular speaker at the Chambers’ POCA Forum. His lectures have covered confiscation, money laundering, cash seizure and asset forfeiture, and he continues to be a key figure in developing best practice in POCA litigation.
Ethu has extensive experience in respect of Account Freezing/Forfeiture Orders and ancillary applications.
Ethu is a Category A member of the List of Specialist Regulatory Advocates and is instructed by bodies including:
– Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
– Environment Agency
– Natural Resources Wales
– Office of Rail and Road
– Care Quality Commission
– Office for Product Safety and Standards
His nationwide regulatory practice includes environmental prosecutions, health and safety breaches, and a range of local authority enforcement matters, including food hygiene, planning and licensing. He has significant experience advising on complex disclosure obligations, PII issues, and procedural best practice.
Ethu recently was a leading junior in a complex nine-week fraudulent trading trial involving a large number of victims and company structures.
He also represents local authorities and public bodies in matters involving benefit fraud, false documentation and licensing enforcement.
Ethu regularly appears in licensing appeals, including those relating to private hire vehicles, and represents parties before licensing sub-committees. His broader public order and injunction work includes:
– Closure Order applications
– Football Banning Orders (notably since the 2004 European Championships)
– Gang Injunctions and Sexual Risk Orders
– Stalking Protection and Criminal Behaviour Orders
– Serious Crime Prevention Orders
He has also advised on PII issues for Hampshire County Council and helped draft procedural guidance for the Probation Service.
Ethu has experience defending service personnel at Courts Martial, including multi-handed cases heard overseas, such as at Osnabruck Court Martial Centre in Germany.
He also represents prisoners convicted of murder and serious sexual offences at Parole Board hearings across the country.
Ethu was responsible for closely liaising with a Police Force to set up a 12CP team dealing with Stalking Protection Orders. He has dealt with a number of high-profile stalking cases where the victims have included: famous actresses, Members of Parliament and Members of the House of Lords.
His extensive knowledge of civil applications in the criminal courts and sexual offences means that Ethu is regularly instructed to deal with Sexual Risk Order applications as well as Sexual Harm Prevention Orders.
He regularly works on Disclosure & LPP Reviews, provides Operational Advice at events and deals with a great deal of protective orders on behalf of a number of Police Forces.
Ethu is often instructed at the earliest stages of an investigation or prosecution. He brings strategic insight and a collaborative style that assists teams in navigating complex case management and disclosure from the outset. His combination of calm authority and meticulous attention to detail makes him particularly well-suited to document-heavy, technical or sensitive matters.
R v Rolph (Victoria) [2022] EWCA Crim 208 Benefit from Criminal Conduct Criminal Procedure;
A v Southampton City Council [2014] EWCA Crim 1244 Discharge of Restraint Orders Criminal Procedure;
Vaughan v Valuation Tribunal [2013] EWHC 1885 (Admin); [2013] RVR 269 Council Tax Discounts and Principal Residence – A Review Local Government;
R v Beazley and Another [2013] EWCA Crim 567; [2013] 1 WLR 3331 Confiscation Orders and Abuse of Process Crime & Regulatory;
R (on the application of Barons Pub Company Ltd) v Staines Magistrates’ Court, [2013] EWHC 898 (Admin); [2013] Crim LR 758; [2013] A.C.D. 92 Abuse of Process and Compliance with Prosecution Policy Crime & Regulatory;
Vaughan v South Oxfordshire District Council IPT/12/28/C 04/07/12 Investigatory Powers Tribunal Hearing on Surveillance Local Government;
R v Pegley (aka Gold) (2012) EWCA Crim 2583 Costs in Criminal Cases Crime & Regulatory;
Secerno Ltd, Sportsworld Ltd & XOU Solutions Ltd v Oxford Magistrates’ Court and Vale of White Horse District Council [2011] EWHC 1009 (Admin); [2011] R.A. 247 Liability Orders and Non-Domestic Rates Local Government;
R v Lee (Gareth) [2010] EWCA Crim 268 Sentencing for Trade Mark Offences Crime & Regulatory;
B v DPP [2010] EWHC 1301 (Admin) Criminal Evidence Crime & Regulatory;
Lord-Castle v DPP (2009) EWHC 87 (Admin) Definition of an Ambulance Crime & Regulatory;
Southard v DPP (2006) EWHC 3449 (Admin); [2007] A.C.D. 53 Criminal Intent Crime & Regulatory;
R v DPP (2006) [2006] EWHC 1375 (Admin); (2006) 170 J.P. 661 Criminal Intent Crime & Regulatory;
R v Rougerie (2006) EWCA Crim 2546 Sexual Offences Sentencing Crime & Regulatory;
Keondjian v Kay (2004) EWHC 2820 (CH); [2005] 1 P. & C.R. DG20 Beneficial Trusts and Constructive Trusts Equity & Trusts
Ethu has been involved advising on the issuing and the drafting of Directions Notices under the various Health Protection Regulations made due to Coronavirus.
Ethu came to the Bar after working extensively on academic works in the fields of International Trade, Arbitration and Franchising. He was the editorial manager for the Journal of World Trade, the International Journal of Franchising and Distribution Law, the International Encyclopaedia of Franchising, Corporate Rescue & Insolvency and the International Encyclopaedia of Agency and Distribution Agreements and still continues in his role as the editorial manager of Arbitration International.
His expertise has been reflected by the fact that he has previously been appointed to sit as an arbitrator by the LCIA in a number of high value international disputes.
Ethu has also edited academic law books for the World Trade Organisation, the Centre for Commercial Law Studies, the London Institute of International Banking, Finance and Development Law, the SMU Institute of International Banking and Finance, the Asian Institute of International Financial Law, the Chinese Law Group and the Centre for Comparative and Public Law.
Ethu has also represented a number of authorities, companies and individuals at inquests.
He has both experience and an interest in public law and is frequently instructed in judicial review proceedings. His experience has included cases involving the technical aspects of non-domestic rates. He has appeared in a number of cases involving legal definitions such as what amounts to alarm and what is an ambulance.
Ethu has experience in many civil applications in the criminal courts. This includes anti-gang injunction applications and, recently, dealt with numerous applications aimed at disrupting an established urban gang.