Qualifications and Professional Associations
- BA (Hons) Dunelm
- MA Law City University
- Bar Finals Inns of Court School of Law
- Called to the Bar by the Middle Temple 1984
Areas of Expertise
Shortly after qualifiying as a barrister, Simon spent several years in the City working as a tax consultant with the Solicitors, Coward Chance (as they then were) and the chartered accountants, Deloitte Haskins & Sells (as they then were). During that time, he realised that his real vocation was advocacy rather than working behind a desk. Nevertheless, he has never lost interest in the international financial world he saw in the City.
Any complex case is what interests Simon. He can read and assimilate huge quantities of material very quickly. In a matter of hours, he can produce an opening note identifying every significant piece of evidence, where it is to be found in the statements and any exhibit reference relevant to it. When he is defending, he can distill the evidence against a client from a mass of paper and say precisely what the strengths and weaknesses of the case are very early on. More importantly, he can communicate this to the client in terms he will understand.
Despite his financial background, Simon's practice has always covered all areas of crime including drugs, serious sexual cases and serious violence. He is approachable and gets on well with all types of client.
In court, he is an efficient and effective cross-examiner with a good raport with juries. He has over twenty years' experience and rarely finds himself defeated by a recalcitrant witness or difficult judge.
Notable cases include:
- R v Mateman [2004] Large scale drugs importation. Instructed as leading junior.
- R v Okropiridze Harmondsworth [2005] Immigration Centre riot. Instructed as a leading junior.
- R v Ahmed [2005] Large scale fraud. Led by Harendra de Silva QC.
- R v Mangleswaran [2006] Fraud involving diesel duty. Instructed as a leading junior.
- R v Seddick - Forgery case involving large quantities of identity documents. Instructed by the Crown.
- R v Pankhania - Large fraud on the high street banks. Instructed as a leading junior.
