Qualifications and Professional Associations
- BA (Hons) PgDL
- Called to the Bar the Middle Temple 2001
- Member of the Criminal Bar Association
Areas of Specialisation
Nick firmly believes that the starting point for a successful case is always thorough preparation and building a good relationship with the client. He brings this approach to all of his cases from Murder through to Armed Robbery and Fraud. He has had considerable success and gained excellent experience as a Led Junior in large cases, but has also appeared in many complex and serious cases as Junior alone.
His diligence and commitment mean that his professional client always knows that deadlines will be met, phone calls returned and cases conducted in a way that is appropriate to the circumstances. Nick is also approachable and inclusive in all of his dealings with the lay client, which not only reassures them but takes some of the pressure of the professional client.
Before coming to the Bar Nick gained invaluable experience in a commercial environment. His involvement in high-level negotiations, commercial contract drafting, business tendering and general business practices has been of immense assistance in grasping issues in cases and understanding the position of white-collar clients in particular.
Nick is fully IT literate and is always ready to receive instructions or provide advices via e-mail.
Nick has been instructed in a wide range of Criminal Cases including:
R v Brian Regan & Ors – Liverpool Crown Court – January 2012
Junior Counsel acting for the former Brookside actor Brian Regan who was acquitted of Murder following a 12 week trial at Liverpool Crown Court. The case concerned the planned shooting of a night club doorman by a man driven to and from the scene by the defendant. Three other men were convicted of the murder.
March 2011 - R v Grant - Central Criminal Court
Sir Desmond de Silva QC and Nick James appeared for Mr Grant, one of two men accused of a gang related execution on the Broadwater Farm Estate back in May 2010. The victim was shot twice on his doorstep in broad daylight. One of the bullets Fired was deliberately aimed to inflict maximum suffereing before death, as a punishment shot according to the crown. Mr Grant and his co-defendant were acquitted by the Jury following a 3 week trial involving anonymous witnesses and cell-site expert evidence.
November 2010-January 2011 - R v Boreham & Ors- Southwark Crown Court
Nick acted alone for the second defendant in this 6 handed 8 week cigarette smuggling trial. the Crown alleged that some £10m of duty had been evaded over an 18 month period. There was evidence of a link between the organisers if this criminal operation and the Mafia. The evidence in the case included cell site expert evidence and audio probe recordings.
September 2010 - R v White - Winchester Crown Court
Nick was Junior Counsel in this substantial Cocaine Importation re-trial. The defendant had been convicted in 2006, but the conviction was quashed due to failings of disclosure. When the re-trial began the Crown refused to disclosure the material again and sought to have the ensuing abuse of process arguments conducted by Special Counsel. This was unprecedented and resisted by the defence. Ultimately the Crown was forced to offer no evidence
R v McLean [2010] - Snaresbrook Crown Court
A 41 year old man of previous good character was acquitted of all 5 charges including 2 Counts of Attempted Murder and Possession of a Firearm with Intent to cause fear. The defendant was alleged to have tried to shoot the complainant twice at point blank range, before getting into his car and deliberately running him over. Jury reached unanimous Not Guilty verdicts following a 2 week trial. Nick acted for the Defendant as a Junior alone.
R v Doherty & Ors [2009] - Northampton Crown Court
David Nathan QC and Nick James represented the main Defendant in this 6 handed 17 Count trial primarily concerning a £500k fraud on Northamptonshire County Council. The Defendant was contracted to refurbish two travellers sites in the area, but it was alleged that he and two Council employees had operated the contract fraudulently. Six weeks into the trial the Crown was forced to offer no evidence on the Council Fraud as it was revealed cross-examination that the Council themselves had mis-managed the contract and had then attempted to shift the blame onto the Defendant. The Defendant was also acquitted of the remaining Money Laundering and Tax Evasion counts following submissions of no case to answer after 9 weeks of prosecution evidence.
R v Carpenter & Ors [2009] – Norwich Crown Court
Sir Desmond De Silva QC and Nick James defended a man alleged to be responsible for organising a drive-by shooting in a village in Cambridgeshire. The Crown alleged that he was the head of a criminal gang controlling the cocaine market in the area and that the shooting, using a Czech manufactured version of an AK-47, was a punishment for a drugs debt. The defendant was acquitted of any involvement with the shooting. At trial the Crown alleged that this was only the second time in British history that an AK-47 had been discharged in public. The Defendant was convicted of other less serious offences following a 10 week trial.
R v G [2009] - Central Criminal Court
An Armed Robbery case concerning an 18 year old Defendant who was acting under Duress. The Defendant was acquitted on all Counts despite a number of difficulties including the time gap between the two robberies and the Defendants failure to raise Duress in interview.
R v O'Gorman & Another [2008] Luton Crown Court - Junior Counsel
A two-handed cut throat Murder case following a fatal stabbing. The Defendant was acquitted of Murder, assisting an offender and affray.
R v Gatsinzi & Others [2007] Luton Crown Court - Junior Counsel
A 14 handed Conspiracy to Handle high value motor vehicles described by the trial Judge as being on an unprecedented scale.
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