Robin has been a Recorder of the Crown Court since 1987. He practices criminal law exclusively for the defence. In the last two years he has led for the defence in cases ranging from fraud & corruption ie ( £4 million fraud on Jaguar Motors) to murder. He was counsel in a number of leading Court of Appeal cases eg R v Rutherford and Palmer ( identification parades) and R v M (John) (video tape evidence in child abuse cases).
With over 33 years experience, Robin appears exclusively for the defence in substantial cases. In recent years he has led in major cases ranging from corruption (Jaguar Motor Cars) to Drugs and Money Laundering (R v Escobar) and he has a remarkable record both in the Court of Appeal and the European Court of Human Rights. His cases in the Court of Appeal, all which are or have been in Archbold, include: R v Rutherford and Palmer (98 Cr App R 191) (identification parades) R v M (John) (2 Cr App R 56) (use of video tapes in child abuse cases) R v Thomas and others (1998 Crim Law R 887 etc) (use of written statements in absence of witness/breach of ECHR) R v Perry (see also Perry v UK 2003 Crim Law R 281 EctHR) (Surveillance methods/Breach of ECHR) R v Hardy (Brian) (1 Cr App R 30 etc) (Intercepts/Breach of ECHR/RIPA) R v Reed (2004 not yet published) (Use of participating witness/state inducements/breach of ECHR) R v Mason, Wood, McLelland, Tierney (2 Cr App R 38 etc) (Surveillance methods/breach of ECHR/directions on defendants silence) (see also ECtHR).
Robin has taken three cases to the European Court of Human Rights, two successfully. These cases are: Phillips v United Kingdom (Leading) (July 5th 2001), (Retrospective confiscation/breach of ECHR) Perry v United Kingdom (2003 Crim L R 281 etc.) (See R v Perry above) (Surveillance methods/breach ofECHR) Wood v United Kingdom (Reference 23414/02) (Surveillance methods ECHR) Robin also practices Extradition Law and was junior counsel in Marais v Governor of Brixton Prison (Times, 18th December 2001) (Habeus Corpus/retroactive extradition treaty/breach of ECHR) and, more recently, R v Bleta (Breach of requirements of Extradition Act 2003, won in the Administrative Court, certified for House of Lords, Applicant abandoned appeal).
Robin was a founder member of the Bar/Criminal Bar Association Committee on ECHR. He was Chairman of the London Region of the Federation of Small Business 1989-1991.
He is a fluent Spanish speaker.
