Christopher Amis 1991

Transcription

1 Profile Christopher Amis, a senior junior barrister with 27 years experience, is instructed for the prosecution and defence in cases including terrorism, homicide, organised crime, rape and other serious sexual offences, complex fraud, firearms and large-scale drugs prosecutions. Prosecution - Appointed to the CPS Serious Crime Group Panel at Level 4 (for the prosecution by CPS HQ of serious organised crime, terrorism, money-laundering and other sensitive cases with a national profile). A Grade 4 prosecutor (General Crime), on the Rape List and acts for the CPS in London, the South-East and the Thames Valley. Instructed in cases as leading/sole counsel by CPS London's Complex Casework Unit (Special Casework and Homicide teams) and on a short-list of securitycleared counsel for the prosecution of serious cases involving extremely sensitive material. His practice embraces terrorism, homicide, organised crime, modern slavery, cyber-crime, child-pornography, all sexual offences, firearms offences, human-trafficking, complex fraud and financial crime, confiscation, restraint of assets and moneylaundering. Conducts sensitive cases involving complex disclosure issues. Has acted for CPS RASSO units in numerous rape cases throughout London and elsewhere. He also has experience of extradition work. His practice increasingly pits him alone against Queen's Counsel acting for his opponents. The sensitive cases he prosecutes require the victims needs to be placed, at all times, firmly at the forefront of case-preparation and management. Finished prosecuting in March 2016, as Leading Junior Counsel, a 4 month, organised crime, drugs trial of seven defendants, two represented by Queen s Counsel, at Snaresbrook Crown Court and concluded, in December 2017, as Leading Junior Counsel for the prosecution, a nine week organised crime trial involving brothels and money-laundering. Counsel s Clerk Clerks@23es.com AdamChapman@23es.com Primary Areas of Practice Organised Crime Sexual Offences Fraud & Financial Crime Appointments CPS Serious Crime Group Panel Grade 4 CPS General Crime Panel Grade 4 CPS Rape List Security-cleared List Acts for CPS London, South- Eastern & Western circuits & Thames Valley area. Professional Memberships Criminal Bar Association Fraud Lawyers Association Western Circuit South-Eastern Circuit Sussex Bar Mess Education King s College, University of London (Law)

2 Defence - defends at a similar level in the same range of cases. He is instructed to defend in murder trials and has acted as sole counsel in attempted murder, gross-negligence and driving manslaughter cases. He frequently defends in rape cases and those involving historic sexual abuse. Christopher is also instructed to defend fraud and moneylaundering allegations. Practice equally divided between prosecution and defence work. Instructed to defend, by Janes Sols, as Leading Junior Counsel, in a 3 month internet-based fraud trial at Teesside Crown Court which took place between April and June Confiscation proceedings to follow. Case involving millions of documents presented entirely digitally. General Crime Christopher is routinely instructed in serious, sensitive and complex cases. A significant part of his case-work involves the handling of highly sensitive material. Terrorism R v MIA (Instructed Dec 2016 for trial in 2017) Instructed by CPS HQ Central Casework Division, Counter-Terrorism Division, (Rose Court), as sole counsel, to prosecute a man accused of a s 1 Terrorism Act 2006 offence (Islamic extremism). R v MA (April 2016) Instructed by CPS HQ Central Casework Division, Counter-Terrorism Division, (Rose Court), as leading junior counsel, to prosecute a four week trial at the Central Criminal Court, of a man accused of various ISIL (Daesh) terrorist offences. Six thousand pages of complex cyber evidence quickly assimilated and marshalled after counsel was instructed close to start of trial. Queen s Counsel instructed to defend. BBC News Link R v JH (July 2012) Instructed as sole counsel by CPS London s Complex Casework Unit (SCU). See details below under Cyber Crime Homicide R v U (May 2018) Instructed by CPS London s Complex Casework Unit (Homicide Team) as sole counsel to prosecute a case of causing death by careless driving. Trial at Central Criminal Court

3 R v RK( Jan 2018) Instructed by CPS London s Complex Casework Unit (Homicide Team) as sole counsel to prosecute a case of causing death by dangerous driving. Trial at Central Crown Court. R v JD (Oct 2017) Instructed by CPS London, Crown Court South Team, as sole counsel to prosecute a case of causing death by careless driving. Trial at Kingston Crown Court R v H (2015) Instructed by CPS London s Complex Casework Unit (Homicide Team) as sole counsel to prosecute a case of causing death by careless driving. R v MK (December 2014) Attempted Murder - Instructed by CPS London, Crown Court North team, as sole counsel to prosecute an attempted murder at the Central Criminal Court. MK, a heroin dealer, lured one of his female users into a dark alley in east London where he doused her with petrol then set her alight. Victim was grotesquely injured in the ensuing fireball, which was captured on cctv. Defendant was arrested in possession of a loaded and cocked automatic 9mm weapon and thousands of pounds worth of drugs. Convicted after trial of attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and drug-dealing offences. Sentenced to life imprisonment. The needs of this traumatised victim took centre stage in preparing this case. She was afforded every possible protection and constantly consulted with a view to ensuring she could give her best evidence against a man who had terrified and seriously injured her. Close consultation with the victim gave her the confidence to give evidence and made her feel she was at the heart of this prosecution. ITV News Link; Evening Standard Cyber Crime R v MA (April 2016) See details above under Terrorism R v CF (2015) Invited by CPS West Midlands (CCU) to prosecute as sole counsel a complex cyber-crime case. R v JH (July 2012) Sole counsel prosecuting for CPS London, Complex Casework Unit (Special Casework Unit), JH, British Islamic State propagandist and

4 terrorist in Syria and the leader of a group of anti-western cyber warriors, who mounted a directed denial of service attack on the Counter Terrorism Command Unit of the Metropolitan Police Service with a view to disabling their hotline, listening in to their conversations and embarrassing the police. The group also hacked into computers belonging to the French President, the U.N. and the colleague of a recent former Prime Minister in order to steal his personal data. News Link Human Trafficking, Money-Laundering & ID Docs Offences Operation Visionary (July 2014) Instructed as sole counsel by CPS HQ Central Casework Division, Organised Crime Group, (Rose Court), to prosecute three men and a woman accused of human trafficking, money-laundering & passport offences. A young Benin woman, whose family were destitute after her father fell out of a tree and died, was approached by a trafficker in Benin who offered her the chance to study and work in England. The victim accepted the offer, unaware that the plan was to sell her into prostitution in Italy. The victim was beaten and raped in Benin as part of her softening-up. She was then made to cut hair from intimate parts of her body and swear an oath of silence as part of a Juju ritual, was smuggled into the UK from Nigeria and then, after a period when she was kept in a safe house in London, was shipped on to Italy where she was to be sold into prostitution. D1, D2 and D3 convicted after five week trial at Central Criminal Court. Victim required especially sensitive handling, which involved acquiring an understanding, as prosecution counsel, of how a Nigerian female with her history, might react to being questioned about sexual matters. The very great difficulty encountered in getting victim to tell jury that she had been raped (she was deeply ashamed) was overcome when, in re-examination a day after evidencein-chief had finished, it was broached as a subject again and she finally was able, in the last minutes of her evidence, to bring herself to tell the jury what had happened to her. News Report Organised Crime Operation Sol (June 2018) Instructed as Leading Junior Counsel by CPS London, Crown Court South Team, to prosecute an organised crime network alleged to have conspired together to supply wholesale quantities of heroin for onward distribution throughout London. Multi-handed trial expected to last 6 weeks at Kingston Crown Court.

5 Operation Parashift (Oct Dec 2017) Instructed as Leading Junior Counsel by CPS London Complex Casework Unit (Special Casework Unit) to prosecute a multi-handed conspiracy involving brothels and money-laundering. All four defendants convicted after a nine week trial. Operation Sillion (April 2016) Instructed as sole counsel by CPS HQ Central Casework Division, Organised Crime Group, (Rose Court), to prosecute a drugs case involving the supply of large amounts of Class A drugs. Operation Zaci (Sept 2015 Feb 2016) Instructed as Leading Junior Counsel by CPS London, Crown Court North team, to prosecute a 7 handed multi-million pound drugs conspiracy. Trial lasted 4 months (Sept 15 to March 16). Two defendants were represented by Queen s Counsel. A number of men were alleged to have conspired together to supply over 7m worth of cannabis which was hidden in crates within freight lorries. Operation Nith (Jan to July 2015) Instructed as sole counsel by CPS London, Crown Court Team South, to prosecute this 17 defendant, Test Purchase Operation, series of cases at Croydon Crown Court. R v D, G, L & M (2010 & Jan-Mar 2012 & 2015) Instructed as junior counsel by CPS London, Complex Casework Unit (Special Casework Unit) to prosecute 3 month kidnapping & torture trial. Defended by three silks and their juniors. Three business-men fell out over a substantial property deal in the East End of London. The victims were lured to a meeting where they were stripped, bound and hooded and then terrorised over 12 hours in the course of which they were violently assaulted before being bundled into a van and driven around the M25 to the site of their mock-execution. The 4 th man was a former paratrooper whom the Crown extradited from a prison cell in Kabul to face trial. Christopher was entirely responsible, along with the Level E CPS instructing lawyer, for the preparation of the case and in particular, for conduct of the enormous, complex and highly sensitive 18 month disclosure exercise. Involved extensive liaison with the FCO and eight other Government and foreign organisations. The 4 th man claimed he was illegally extradited. As Leading Counsel for the Crown was unexpectedly detained in an over-running trial elsewhere Christopher dealt alone with all the on-notice PII hearings and with most of the two weeks legal argument which preceded the start of the trial before he

6 then opened the case to the jury. The case was raised in the House of Commons. BBC News Link Firearms R v C, C & C (2018) Instructed by CPS London, Crown Court North team, to prosecute at Wood Green Crown Court men found in possession of a house full of proscribed firearms. R v S (March 2016) Instructed by CPS London, Crown Court North team, to prosecute at the Central Criminal Court, a man charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. The firearm was discharged in the course of a chase. R v Y & P (Dec 2015) Instructed by CPS London, Crown Court North team, to prosecute two individuals charged with possession of numerous handguns & live ammunition found at a flat being used as a drugs factory. R v N, K, A & S (March 2015) Instructed by CPS London, Crown Court South team, to prosecute four men involved in a conspiracy to acquire a prohibited firearm. One pleaded guilty, two convicted after trial. R v MK (Sept 2014) Prosecuted for CPS London a drugs-dealer arrested in possession of a loaded, automatic, converted weapon and large amount of drugs. R v RK (Nov 2013) Instructed as sole counsel by CPS London, Complex Casework Unit (Special Casework Unit) to prosecute a man accused of importing firearms into the UK. Uzi sub-machine-gun and Kalashnikov assault rifle ordered over internet from USA & paid for with Bitcoin currency. Defendant was planning to visit his school in north London the day after his arrest to check his A Level results, which he expected to be poor. Rifle and ammunition found under bed. Computer encrypted. News Report Police Officer Prosecutions

7 Operation Imani (2017) Instructed as sole counsel by CPS London Complex Casework Unit (Special Casework Unit) to prosecute a police officer and his brother accused of an alleged conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Both convicted after trial. Rape & Serious Sexual Offences Christopher is instructed in multi-handed and multi-complainant rape, sexual assault and child pornography cases throughout the year in most years. Below is a selection only:- R v PS (Autumn 2018) Instructed as sole counsel by CPS Wessex to prosecute a difficult 4 complainant child sex case in which the defendant and all the complainants suffer from mental health difficulties of some sort. R v VK (Dec 2017 & Jan 2018) Instructed by CPS London, Crown Court South team, to prosecute a very wealthy businessman for separate alleged sexual assault and rape cases. Sensitivities relating to disclosure of digital unused material in both cases. R v SP (May 2016) Instructed by CPS London, Crown Court South team, to prosecute an historic sexual assault case in which Queen s Counsel acted for the defence. R v DP (Apr 2016) Instructed by CPS London, Crown Court South team, to prosecute a man accused of stranger rapes of two women. R v AK (Feb 2016) Instructed by CPS London, Crown Court North team, to prosecute a sexual assault case in which Queen s Counsel acted for the defence. R v AP (Dec 2015) Instructed by CPS London, Crown Court South team, to prosecute a 4 week, multi-complainant, historic rape and sexual offences trial. Twenty two count indictment and complex 3rd party material issues. R v E (June 2015)

8 Instructed by CPS London, Crown Court South team, to prosecute a 4 week rape trial. Defendant alleged to have beaten and raped his expartner numerous times over the course of their relationship. R v PH (Oct 2014) Section 28 PILOT (pre-recorded cross-examination of vulnerable child witnesses) - Instructed by CPS London to prosecute one of the first s 28 YJCEA pilot rape cases at Kingston Crown Court. Christopher has prepared a post-case Checklist Memo for the CPS, with a view to ensuring best practice in these cases and avoiding pitfalls. Operation Bosque (Nov 2013) Instructed as sole counsel by CPS London s Complex Casework Unit (Special Casework Unit) in connection with this complex prosecution involving a dangerous serial sex offender. Lee Cyrus, a lifer at HMP North Sea Camp in Lincolnshire, escaped in autumn 2012 and was at large for 3 months, during which he mounted a terrifying campaign against women in the Hampstead Heath area of N London. A nationwide manhunt followed for this Crimewatch most wanted individual. He stalked women in a black balaclava, armed with a knife and committed numerous, increasingly serious offences including sex offences, wounding with intent, aggravated burglary, knife-point robbery, affray, wounding and burglary of mainly elderly, vulnerable women in their own homes. Convicted of 11 offences after a 4 week trial at Southwark CC. Sentenced to life imprisonment. The case was presented digitally. Many witness difficulties had to be overcome at very short notice - evidence was received from one victim who was in New York via a hastily-arranged live link. Attracted wide publicity. BBC News Report Operation El Paso (June 2013) Instructed by CPS London s Complex Casework Unit (Special Casework Unit) in connection with a ten-handed prosecution at the Central Criminal Court involving the sexual exploitation and trafficking of a vulnerable young girl who was alleged to have been serially raped and maltreated by a succession of men in London. R v P (May 2013) Instructed to defend auxiliary nurse charged with rape of a female patient whilst in her bed on a ward in Chichester Hospital. The complainant suffered from a serious and rare psychiatric disorder. The defendant was acquitted after a three week trial at Chichester Crown Court. R v MT (Apr 2013)

9 Instructed for CPS Reading in rape case involving alleged attack by man on his ex-girlfriend. R v JW (Mar 2013) Instructed to defend man charged with rape of ex-girlfriend in trial at Lewes CC. R v AP (Mar 2013) Instructed by CPS Sussex to prosecute at Lewes CC allegations of historic sexual abuse by man on his step-daughter. R v TF (Dec 2012) Instructed to represent a 23 year old man accused of attacking and savagely raping a complete stranger, a middle-aged woman, in an isolated and rural area near Bournemouth Station while she was looking for places to walk her dog. Victim s arm was broken in the struggle as the woman was dragged to a muddy ditch and her head held in a stream before her attacker fled and she escaped. R v PC (July 2012) Defended 75 year old man charged with 29 counts of rape in relation to multiple complainants over a period dating from the 1960s to the present day. Mounted unfitness-to-plead defence. Prosecution and defence each called psychiatrists on the issue. R v PJ (April 2012) Defended paedophile charged with 16 counts of rape and other sexual offences committed against two young boys from a period some 15 years ago. One of the brothers was a particularly vulnerable witness who suffered from learning difficulties. R v AG (2011) Defended a man charged with brutal knife-point stranger rape committed 15 years earlier on a woman whom he stalked and then attacked in her own home. The man was arrested following a cold-case review of the forensic DNA evidence seized from the original crime scene. Baby-shaking R v SF (May 2012) Sole counsel for Crown, instructed by CPS Hants, to prosecute, at Ports CC, a three week baby-shaking case involving complex medical evidence from thirteen doctors assembled from all over the UK. Issue was - who

10 or what caused this 2 month old baby s serious head injury? Evidence called from consultant paediatric neurosurgeons, consultant paediatric opthalmologist, consultant paediatric radiologist, consultant haematologist and consultant obstetrician plus other health care professionals. The defence called consultant pathologist Dr Wayne Squiers who advanced the theory that the brain injury may have been caused at birth or have happened spontaneously rather than as the result of violence at the defendant s hands. Case management was complicated and the trial required meticulous planning. (Mr Peters, Dr Likeman & Dr Kanabar relied on by Crown). Child-Cruelty R v RH & KW (Apr 2012) Sole counsel instructed by CPS Hants to prosecute man and his partner accused of seriously ill-treating their 6 year old son who was found to have about 140 injuries to his head and body. A very substantial quantity of third party material had to be considered. Vulnerable Complainants R v PS (Dec 2013) Instructed to prosecute allegation of rape of a vulnerable complainant with a serious learning disability. Intermediary deployed. Witness required sensitive handling in accordance with the new Toolkit guidelines on how to assist such witnesses give their best evidence. The defendant also suffered from a low IQ. Questioning of him had to be carefully tailored to his ability to understand. R v AB & LM (2013) Instructed by CPS Reading to prosecute a difficult domestic violence case in which the complainant, a young man of 23 who had married a woman twice his age, suffered from Asperger Syndrome. R v TO (2012) Instructed by CPS Reading to prosecute a care-worker accused of a series of serious sexual assaults on a young woman who suffered from acute Asperger Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. The trial had to be planned meticulously to allow for the complainant s intricate & time-consuming daily rituals. Other R v P & P (2016)

11 Instructed by CPS London, Complex Casework Unit, (Special Casework Unit), as sole counsel to prosecute a police officer and his brother who were charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice after drugs were planted on the officer s partner and malicious calls made by both to Crimestoppers. Investigated by DPS. R v AL (2011) Instructed to defend a man charged with arson with intent to endanger life after he set fire to the marital home whilst his wife was asleep in bed upstairs. The house was burnt to the ground and the woman had a lucky escape. Called two consultant forensic psychiatrists, a consultant hepatologist and a psychologist to prove the defendant was temporarily insane at the time of the fire-setting. The prosecution called psychiatrists in rebuttal. Defendant s temporary insanity was related to his long-term alcoholism. Defence succeeded. Fraud & Financial Crime Christopher is instructed by CPS London s Complex Casework Unit (Special Casework) to prosecute their fraud cases. He has experience of many types of fraud including advance fee, romance and charity frauds, credit-card fraud, insurance fraud and other sophisticated schemes. R v Z (Apr 2017) Instructed as Leading Junior Counsel to defend in a 3 month VHCC fraud trial in Teesside, a man accused of conspiring with others to create fake websites and thereby induce members of the public to buy their services. R v T & B (Apr 2015) Instructed as sole counsel to prosecute for the CPS London, Complex Casework Unit, (Special Casework), a man involved in an on-line romance fraud and money-laundering-related advance fee fraud. Numerous females from a variety of different countries were seduced on-line and then inveigled into parting with large sums of money which were laundered through several bank accounts in the UK. Letters of Request used to secure evidence from victims. R v PH (April 2013) Instructed as sole counsel to prosecute, for CPS London, at Isleworth Crown Court an accountant/finance Director who stole nearly 500,000 from his employer over a six year period. Restraint order used to prevent dissipation of the misappropriated monies before trial and confiscation proceedings launched to recover what was stolen. Detailed analysis of the company accounts & of pension and other benefits & tracing of the

12 monies through doctored accounts was required to prove the case. A false paper trail had been laid to disguise the thefts. R v AM, RA & IV (Jan 2013) Instructed as sole counsel by CPS London, Complex Casework Unit (Special Casework) to prosecute a cash-for-crash insurance industry fraud trial listed for three weeks at Southwark CC which had been investigated by the Specialist Crime & Operations Unit of the MPS. The fraud involved the staging of deliberate car collisions which were made to look like accidents and the submission afterwards, by a fraudulent claims-management company, of bogus claims for personal injury& car damage and grossly inflated claims for car storage and hire of replacement high-value cars. The evidence comprised surveillance, listening bug and documentary material as well as eye-witness testimony. R v D, G, L & M (2010 & Jan-March 2012) Instructed as junior counsel by the CPS London, Complex Casework Unit (Special Casework) to prosecute this 3 month trial which centred on a dispute over a multi-million pound property deal which went sour. The case involved a highly complex series of financial transactions, alleged back to back mortgage fraud and the alleged laundering of the stolen monies to various bank accounts in the UK and abroad. The identities of those responsible for the fraud had, it was said, been disguised. The unused material relating to this web of complex financial dealings filled about 70 boxes. The material came from banks, building societies, financial advisers and accountants. This case dominated Christopher's practice between 2008 and The two trials were the culmination of several years of preparation by the prosecution team. The fraud allegedly behind the property dispute was extremely complex.