Guy Bowden

Call: 2003

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An excellent set with massive strength in fraud and serious crime.

Legal 500, 2022
Guy Bowden

Personal profile

Guy Bowden acts as leading or junior counsel in substantial Fraud cases and has done so for the past eight years.

Guy’s practice encompasses all areas of criminal defence and prosecution work, including Fraud, Money Laundering & Proceeds of Crime, Sexual Offences, Serious Violence, Serious Organised Crime, conspiracies and public order offences.

He also undertakes Inquest & Inquiry work in the Coroners’ Court which often involves issues in relation to Article 2 rights.

Guy has excellent analytical skills and is adept at assimilating complex data and issues. He is frequently instructed in cases which require intense preparation and skilled presentation in court.

Sexual Offences

Featured cases

  • R v S (2018) – Instructed to represent a client facing multiple allegations of rape.
  • R v AS (2014) – Instructed to represent a client acquitted of sexual assault at the Notting Hill Carnival. Involved lengthy video-link cross-examination of a witness in Australia.
  • R v Gutierrez (2012) EWCA Crim 3011 – Appeared alone in a successful appeal against sentence where the judge at first instance had given insufficient credit and failed to take into account the basis of plea when sentencing for multiple sexual assaults.

Murder & Manslaughter

Featured cases

  • R v A (2020-21) – Instructed to represent a public hire driver charged with causing death by dangerous driving.
  • R v W (2019) – Instructed to represent a MoD police officer, acquitted of charges flowing from a road rage incident.
  • R v S (2019) – Instructed to represent a youth charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition, with intent to endanger life as part of gang-related activity.
  • R v William Connors [2018] EWCA Crim 2780 – This concerned a sentence in respect of handling numerous high value vehicles reduced on appeal.
  • R v W (2018) – Instructed to represent a client charged with possessing multiple firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life.
  • R v JB (2017) – Instructed to represent a client acquitted of both murder and manslaughter following trial. Led by Peter Doyle QC.
  • R v Jeton Nushi (2015) EWCA Crim 1260 – This concerned a sentence in respect of a series of cash-in-transit robberies reduced on appeal.
  • R v F (2014) – Instructed to represent a client cleared of involvement in ‘Italian Job’ armed robbery following a six-week trial.
  • R v M (2012) – Led by Robert Woodcock QC, secured acquittal of 16-year-old client charged with attempted murder involving a shotgun.
  • R v B (2012) – Assisting an offender in relation to an offence of attempted murder, involving a firearm.
  • R v S (2012) – Instructed to represent a solicitor acquitted of assaulting a court bailiff.
  • R v S-C (2012) – Instructed to represent a looter during a summer 2011 disorder, dubbed ‘Riot Boy’ by the press (his mother and sister faced eviction as a result of his actions).
  • R v C (2011) – Instructed to represent a client who was unanimously acquitted of aggravated arson following a ten-day trial.
  • R v T (2011) – Appeared alone in this appeal against a conviction for murder, related to the judge’s direction on ‘joint enterprise’.
  • R v T (2010) – Instructed to appear in this murder, and led by Robert Woodcock QC.

Business Crime & Fraud

Guy has experience dealing with all aspects of Business Crime & Fraud.

Currently instructed as one of the junior counsel to the Dame Linda Dobbs Review, a review into whether Lloyds Banking Group investigated and appropriately reported issues arising from the HBOS Reading Fraud following their acquisition of HBOS in 2009.

Featured cases

  • R v W (2018-2019) – Represented company director charged in connection with a boiler room fraud involving rare earth metals.
  • R v J (2017) – Instructed to defend in a prosecution brought by the DBEIS, against company directors alleged to have breached their duties.
  • R v G (2016-2017) – Instructed in confiscation proceedings involving hidden assets and foreign property running into millions of pounds.
  • R v F (2016) – Instructed to represent a client acquitted of allegations of masterminding a ‘boiler room scam’ and large-scale money laundering.
  • Operation Susumo (2015-2016) – Instructed to represent a client facing money laundering allegations said to involve a series of currency exchange bureaus throughout London.
  • Operation Duffers (2015-2016) – Instructed to represent a client acquitted of highly organised defrauding of the benefit system using the details of hundreds of individuals held on NHS database.
  • R v G (2015-2016) – Instructed as sole counsel defending an extensive and organised plan to gain online access to UK bank accounts and remove millions of pounds by transferring money into accounts under co-conspirators’ control. The funds were removed in cash through ATMs, foreign exchange bureau or similar, or otherwise spent.
  • Operation Enderby (2014) – Instructed as leading counsel for a defendant charged in connection with the laundering of £50m. This involved an NCA investigation encompassing multiple jurisdictions. The client was acquitted following legal argument.
  • R v H (2014) – Instructed to represent a client acquitted of involvement in a money laundering operation which saw her used as a pawn within fairly crude but effective phishing scams.
  • R v O (2013) – Instructed to represent a client acquitted of masterminding a complex email ‘phishing’ operation which involved multiple jurisdictions and the acquisition of hundreds of thousands of pounds.
  • Operation Compost (2010) – Instructed as junior counsel for a client acquitted of involvement in multi-million pound oil fraud involving the laundering and onward distribution of rebated fuel.

Inquests & Inquiries

Guy is instructed to represent interested parties at inquest hearings. This has involved representing prison officers, prison governors, nurses and civilian police employees at pre-inquest reviews and inquests held in locations from Kingston-upon-Hull to Maidstone.

Featured cases

  • Inquest concerning the death of James O’Brien (2017) – Instructed to represent a nurse facing related disciplinary proceedings before the NMC.
  • Inquest concerning death of Jean Dennis (2012) – Instructed to represent a civilian Met Police employee facing disciplinary action in relation to the response of the emergency services to an emergency call.
  • Inquest concerning death of William Duke at HMP Elmley (2010) – Instructed to represent a prison governor during an inquest lasting four weeks. The hearing involved complex issues relating to self-incrimination and the application of Rule 22.
  • Inquest concerning death of Vicky Robinson at HMP New Hall (2008) – Instructed to represent a Prison Officers’ Association member facing criminal investigation.
  • Currently instructed as one of the junior counsel to the Dame Linda Dobbs Review, a review into whether Lloyds Banking Group investigated and appropriately reported issues arising from the HBOS Reading Fraud following their acquisition of HBOS in 2009. This review involved the analysis of over 300k documents. Counsel worked in multiple teams across the review, with a particular specialism in the analysis of limited waiver documents for presentation before and review by Dame Linda Dobbs.

Education

  • Diploma in Forensic Medical Sciences, The Society of Apothecaries of London (2021)
  • Diploma in Forensic Medical Sciences, Academy of Forensic Medical Sciences (2020)
  • BVC, BPP Law School
  • PgDL, College of Law, Guildford
  • Politics & International Relations BSc (Hons), University of Southampton: 2.1

Professional appointments

  • CPS Panel Advocate (Grade 2)

Memberships

  • Inner Temple
  • CBA
  • South Eastern Circuit

Publications

Interview with World Finance, (March 2015) Interviewed by Jenny Hammond on the subject of identifying and prosecuting internal fraudsters.