Source: https://old.gardencourtchambers.co.uk/barrister/tom-wainwright/
Timestamp: 2019-05-21 14:34:56
Document Index: 44099491

Matched Legal Cases: ['§31', '§7', '§7', '§19', '§20', '§20', '§20']

Home > Tenants > Tom Wainwright
“A really bright, hands-on barrister who is really committed to his cases.”
“Involved in challenging and high-profile cases spanning terrorism and human trafficking. Defends unled in significant cases.” “Cross-examines expert witnesses with considerable skill”
Tom has a formidable reputation as a passionate defender and a strong advocate.
He has a particular interest and experience in Serious Fraud and Confiscation, Protest Cases and Criminal Appeals.
He is regularly instructed as Leading Junior Counsel in serious high-profile cases of significant complexity and legal importance. Tom is qualified under the ‘Public Access’ scheme and is able to take instructions direct from the public in appropriate cases.
Tom has always been a dedicated criminal defence barrister, devoted to providing full and fearless representation. He is ranked for Crime in the Chambers and Partners Directory 2019.
Nurse accused of stealing drugs from children’s hospital, based on printouts from ‘Omnicell’ electronic drugs cabinets, acquitted following successful submission of no case to answer. Reported in the Evening Standard here.
R v Newland, Manchester CC (2017)
Led junior in the appeal and re-trial of what was described as ‘one of the most extraordinary and controversial criminal cases of recent times’ in which the Defendant was alleged to have adopted a male persona in order to have a relationship with their female best friend. High-profile case which was reported in the Guardian here, the Mail here and the Telegraph here.
Defendant acquitted of involvement in a large-scale conspiracy to manufacture and transfer firearms revolving around a illegal gun factory in North London which supplied converted weapons to criminal gangs.
Multi-handed conspiracy to supply cocaine and launder the proceeds of crime. Defendant alleged to be financier of large-scale operation to supply controlled drugs in the South Yorkshire area.
R v Williams, Blackfriars CC (2010)
Tom has brought his analytical and advocacy skills to bear on large-scale complex frauds brought by the Serious Fraud Office, Trading Standards and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills amongst others. He is particularly well-known for his expertise in confiscation proceedings and has co-authored ‘The Confiscation Manual’ – a practical guide to the proceeds of crime.
R v Bond, Southwark CC (2018) ‘Operation Twilight’
Led junior in large-scale Conspiracy to Cheat the Revenue relating to a fraudulent scheme to obtain sideways tax relief from bogus film development companies.
R v Ahmed, Southwark CC (2017 – 2018)
Leading junior for Defendant charged with a conspiracy to launder the proceeds of a series of brothels in central London, totalling millions of pounds over a period of years.
R v Reader, Woolwich CC (2018)
Led junior representing one of the Hatton Garden safety deposit box burglars in their confiscation proceedings. The burglary was said to be the largest ever in British legal history and attracted international publicity. Read reports from The Guardian here, The Independent here, The Telegraph here and The Mirror here.
Xu v Corbiere Ltd [2018] 4 WLR 125
Also instructed in linked contempt of court proceedings in the Chancery Division and Court of Appeal, Civil Division.
R v Byrne, Southwark CC (2016)
Led junior and junior alone for the main Defendant in two prosecutions for large-scale ‘boiler room’ and land-banking frauds. Total alleged loss said to be in the region of £9m.
Two-week contested confiscation hearing arising out of the importation of cannabis on an industrial scale. Benefit to the Defendant alleged to be in the order of £60m.
Large-scale fraud dating back to 1984 arising out of the collapse of the Johnson-Matthey Bank. The size and scope of the original investigation was a significant impetus in the establishment of the Serious Fraud Office.
As lead author on The Protest Handbook, Tom specialises in upholding protestors’ rights under Articles 8, 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights and challenging the excessive or unlawful use of force by police officers. Tom’s practice in this area includes high-profile cases such as the ‘Rotherham 12’, the ‘Occupy Parliament’ demonstrations, R v Caroline Lucas MP and R v Zac King and Alfie Meadows.
R v Saleem, R v Sultan, Sheffield CC (2016 and 2018)
Representing two of the ‘Rotherham 12’, all of whom were acquitted of violent disorder on the grounds that they were defending themselves and their community after a peaceful demonstration was directed into the path of far-right football hooligans. Ten defendants were unanimously found Not Guilty by a jury and the remaining two were later acquitted after the Prosecution offered no evidence against them, following revelations about the credibility of the Silver Commander in charge of policing the protest.
Read the reports from the Independent here, the Guardian here, Channel Four News here, The Mail here and Socialist Worker here
Together with Owen Greenhall, representing thirty protestors over a series of ten trials arising out of the ‘Occupy Democracy’ demonstrations in Parliament Square in Autumn 2014. A variety of charges involved leading to complex legal argument on a wide range of issues including Articles Ten and Eleven of the European Convention, challenges to the validity of the Parliament Square Byelaws and the definition of ‘sleeping equipment’ in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. Not a single demonstrator was convicted.
Representing Caroline Lucas MP and others charged with offences arising out of a peaceful sit-down demonstration, protesting against a fracking operation being set up outside the small village of Balcombe. Following a six-day trial, not only were the Defendants acquitted of all charges, but the District Judge went on to rule that the conditions imposed on the protest by the police were unclear, without proper foundation and unlawful.
On 9th December 2010, Alfie Meadows and Zac King were both struck on the head by police batons whilst peacefully protesting in Parliament Square against the exorbitant rise in tuition fees being introduced by the coalition government. Alfie was nearly killed by the blow. Both young men then found themselves charged with Violent Disorder and facing a Crown Court trial. Tom’s cross-examination of the Silver Commander challenged the Metropolitan Police’s decision to ‘kettle’ hundreds of schoolchildren until late at night in the middle of winter. After a four-week trial, the jury returned within a short time to unanimously acquit both Defendants.
Read reports in The Guardian (1 June 2009) here, The Guardian (2 June 2009) here, and Time magazine here.
Tom has a strong track record in having convictions quashed and sentences reduced where previous Counsel had advised there was no merit and where the Single Judge has refused leave.
Tom acted in R v Bassett, the leading case on the offence of voyeurism and R v Court, the leading case on the definition of ‘keeping a disorderly house’. He also appeared as Leading Counsel in R v McNally which dealt with the question as to whether alleged deception as to gender could nullify consent in sexual offences.
He is more than happy to take instructions pro bono in relation to the merits of making renewed applications.
Tom is the Treasurer for the Criminal Appeal Lawyers Association.
R v Stockli and others [2018] 2 Cr. App. R. 29; Archbold §31-33
Opposing prosecution appeal against decision to stay proceedings on the grounds that defendants organising an ‘illegal’ rave should have been charged under an available statutory offence, rather than with conspiracy to commit public nuisance.
R v Gohil and Preko [2018] 1 Cr. App. R. 30; Archbold §7-91, §7-222b
Case arising out of a series of prosecutions relating to the activities of James Ibori, former governor of the Delta Province in Nigeria. Acting on behalf of the second applicant seeking leave to re-open a previous appeal on the basis of material non-disclosure by the Crown.
R v VSJ and others [2017] 1 Cr. App. R. 33; Archbold §19-464
R v McNally [2013] 2 Cr. App. R. 28; [2014] Crim LR 3, 207-223; [2014] Crim LR 7, 492-510; Archbold §20-29
R v Court and Gu [2012] 1 WLR 2260; [2012] 1 Cr. App. R. 36; Archbold §20-277
R v Bassett (2008) Crim LR 998; (2009) 1 Cr App R 7; (2009) 1 WLR 1032; Archbold §20-243
Criminal Disclosure Referencer – Wainwright, Fenn and Begum
(Second edition, Bloomsbury – published December 2017)
Lead author on this detailed and important guide to the duty of disclosure in criminal proceedings.
The Confiscation Manual – Vaughan QC, Wainwright, O’Hara and McGuinness
The Protest Handbook – Wainwright, Morris, Craig and Greenhall
(Bloomsbury – April 2012)
Blackstones Guide to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 – Co-Author
Disclosure: Something Changed (Garden Court Seminar)
Recent cases, current problems and potential future changes to the disclosure regime.
TransJustice Conference (Garden Court in association with City University and Birkbeck, May 2016)
YouTube star Ally Law avoids custody for breaking into Big Brother house6 March 2019
The ‘Stansted 15’ have today been kept out of prison following their conviction last year for Endangering Safety at an Aerodrome6 February 2019