Matthew Paul specialises in criminal, regulatory and licensing cases and general public law.
He is a strong jury advocate, who has particular success when dealing with difficult and demanding lay clients.
Areas of Expertise
Regulatory and Public Law
Matthew accepts instructions in regulatory cases in the Crown Court, Magistrates’ Courts and disciplinary Tribunals for prosecuting or regulating authorities and defendants. He is an experienced advocate in cases concerning trading standards, health and safety and environmental offences, and has a strong track record in these areas.
He provides high-quality written advice relating to questions of public and regulatory law and has appeared successfully before the High Court in appeals by way of case stated.
Recent notable cases
JP v. OFSTED (2010): Represented the appellant, JP, in her appeal against the suspension of her registration as a childminder before the Care Standards Tribunal. The Tribunal upheld her appeal on the basis of a preference for the appellant’s expert evidence over that of both the jointly instructed expert and OFSTED’s own expert, and acceptance of the appellant’s legal submissions as to the correct interpretation of the statutory test in light of Arts 6, 8 and 14 ECHR.
R (London Borough of Newham) v. Mitchells & Butlers PLC (2010): Prosecution (as junior alone) of a multinational company for causing the death of an employee, who was asphyxiated while cleaning machinery in a bowling alley. The defendant company entered guilty pleas following successful negotiations
R v. Samuel JONES (2009): Represented the defendant in a case involving 31 offences against the TDA 1974 and Fraud Act 2006. 11 of these charges were dismissed following submissions of no case to answer.
Licensing Law
Since pupillage, Matthew has been instructed in many licensing cases up and down the country. He represents both local authorities and licence holders (or applicants) and has demonstrated a record of success in contested applications, and sound judgement in negotiating settlements.
He has a good grasp of the technicalities of licensing law and procedure, and uses this to his clients’ advantage.
Recently, he advised in relation to the licensing requirements and options for enforcement applicable to a large, commercial warehouse party masquerading as a private event. He is frequently asked to advise at the earliest stage of proceedings, and to co-ordinate action between Council enforcement officers and the Police.
He is currently instructed by a local authority in an appeal by way of case stated dealing with the costs implications of a licence holder’s decision to bypass the statutory appeals procedure set down in the Licensing Act 2003 by applying for two duplicate premises (liquor) licences for the same supermarket.
General Crime
Matthew Paul has long experience of dealing with serious criminal cases in the Court of Appeal, Crown Court and Magistrates’ Courts. He appears both as defence Counsel and for various prosecuting authorities. He was recently praised for his ‘cogent and extremely helpful written submissions’ by the Court of Appeal.
He has conducted trials alone, as leading Counsel (from 7 years call) and as junior Counsel in cases of homicide, serious violence, smuggling, drug dealing, kidnap, prison mutiny, sexual offences and high-value fraud.
Matthew has a high degree of expertise and experience in POCA 2002 confiscation and forfeiture proceedings, and has advised fund managers on the POCA implications of transactions in a complex multi-jurisdictional fraud. He has specialised knowledge of the criminal law relating to animal cruelty, agriculture and endangered species smuggling.
He also regularly accepts privately funded instructions in motoring cases, and displays a high degree of relevant technical legal expertise. He recognises the importance of these cases to defendants who otherwise would have no involvement with the Police or the Courts.
He is a robust cross-examiner and fights hard for all his clients.
Notable cases include
R v. Stanley GOVER (2001): 70-year old former Police officer accused of smuggling $250,000 of rare and endangered parrots. Acquitted.
R v. Matthew POPE (2003): Sexual assault and false imprisonment. Acquitted after a submission of no case to answer.
R v. Dennis MORAN & Others (2004): Prison mutiny at Blundesdon gaol and serious wounding of a Prison officer. Charges in this case were reduced following negotiation with the CPS.
R v. Yalini SATHESARAWAN & Others (2005): Multi-million pound, multi-handed fraud involving the abuse of credit card merchant facilities in chicken shops. Acquitted.
R v. Calvin GRANT (2005): Witness intimidation linked to a gangland murder in Birmingham. Acquitted.
R v. Steven SMITH (2005): Armed robbery of a post office. The prosecution offered no evidence following extensive pre-trial enquiries by the defence into the provenance of DNA evidence central to the Crown’s case.
R v. GIBSON & REGIS (2006): Instructed by the Prosecution in a case of false imprisonment and sexual torture. Both Defendants pleaded guilty on the day of trial.
R v. Dwayne ROBERTS & Others (2006): Led junior in the 3-month trial of a 9-handed conspiracy to supply class ‘A’ drugs in Hampshire. Acquitted.
R v. Lesley SLACK & Another (2007): Confiscation proceedings in which 100% of the benefit from a joint enterprise cigarette smuggling was attributed to the co-defendant.
R v. Michael HATTON & Another (2007): Conspiracy to control prostitution, and conspiracy to launder money in excess of £1m. The Defendant received a non-custodial sentence after pleading guilty on an agreed basis, and in subsequent confiscation proceedings the benefit figure was reduced from £833,000 to £11,000.
R v. Adrian CADOGAN & Others (2007): Instructed as leading counsel in a 23-handed conspiracy to supply class ‘A’ drugs in Suffolk. Acquitted.
R v. Keith BUTCHER [2009] EWCA Crim 1448: Successfully appealed conviction and sentence in respect of a defendant accused of child sex offences, and overturned unreasonable conditions on a SOPO.
R v. Stuart GEE [2009] EWCA Crim 1843: Successful appeal against a travel restriction imposed on a convicted cocaine smuggler, in breach of Art.8 ECHR.
R v. Moses BROWN [2010] EWCA Crim 1103: Represented the Crown at trial and appeal in a case where B was convicted of a life-threatening assault on his partner despite her hostile evidence in the witness box. His IPP (9 year notional determinate sentence) was upheld at appeal.
Courts Martial
Having served in both the regular Army and TA, Matthew has a thorough understanding of service life and Army law.
He has represented defendants at Courts Martial charged with a wide variety of offences, and recently acted for an Iraqi-born British serviceman who absented himself without leave for 2 years after repeated racial bullying (this defendant received a suspended sentence following his guilty plea).
He is happy to accept instructions for cases conducted in Military Court Centres overseas.
Background
Matthew Paul graduated in 1996 from New College, Oxford, and is a member of the Inner Temple.
Matthew speaks fluent German and Italian and good French. He is learning Welsh.
In addition to his practice in London and the southeast, he spends much of his time in Carmarthenshire, and is able to attend conferences or Courts across South Wales.
