Aneurin Brewer

Recommendations

“Aneurin is a proven trial winner. He does not rest and has won impossible cases over and over. He is also extremely learned and an experience appellate advocate.”

― Legal 500 2021 (Leading Juniors) Ranked: Tier 4 General Crime

Legal 500: leading junior (Tier 4, Crime)

“A polished advocate and hard worker. His judgement is sound in difficult tactical situations. An excellent barrister who clearly fights hard for his client.”

― Legal 500 2020 (Leading Juniors) Ranked: Tier 4 General Crime

Business Crime & Fraud

Aneurin is regularly instructed in cases related to financial crime of the utmost seriousness and complexity, both allegations of substantive dishonesty offences and consequent money laundering, often requiring consideration of complex financial evidence and evidence from expert forensic accountants. He also has extensive experience of resisting Proceeds of Crime (“POCA”) confiscation proceedings arising from criminal convictions on behalf of defendants and interested third parties such as spouses.

Featured cases

• R v R (2021) – Represented the wife of a defendant convicted of a multi-million pound diversion fraud as an interested party in her erstwhile husband’s confiscation proceedings pursuant to section 10A POCA, successfully securing for her 2/3rds of the equity in their matrimonial home despite her husband being the sole legal owner.
• R v S (2021) – Currently instructed to defend one of eight defendants charged in a multi-million-pound money laundering conspiracy allegedly linked to a multi-million pound diversion fraud prosecuted by HMRC.
• R v S (2021) – Currently instructed to defend an alleged confidence fraudster charged with playing a leading role in a wide-ranging fraud of numerous elderly victims with over £200,000 successfully defrauded.
• R v W (2021) – Currently instructed to appeal against the imposition of a confiscation order following convictions for involvement in a boiler room fraud.
• R v O (2020) – Drafted representation on charge on behalf of a suspect alleged to have run a substantial investment fraud with numerous alleged victims. The suspect was not charged with any offences.
• R v M (2019) – Defended an elderly man in a five-week trial charged with laundering hundreds of thousands of pounds through foreign bank accounts on behalf of his son who was charged with a substantial business tax fraud. The defendant was acquitted on all charges.
• V v P (2019) – Advised a vintage wine broker on a million-pound fraud they were a victim of, involving the artificial inflation of purchase prices for vintage investment grade wines.
• R v Y (2019) – Defended, as a led junior, a car trader charged with substantial VAT and income tax avoidance. The case turned on expert evidence from forensic accountants in relation to historic niche VAT regulations. A plea was eventually entered on an agreed limited basis resulting in a suspended sentence.
• R v S (2019) – Defended, as a led junior, a business owner charged with a substantial VAT and income tax fraud related to the operation of his call centre business. The charges were eventually abandoned by the prosecution following defence representations on the basis of psychiatric evidence.
• R v N (2018) – Defended, as a led junior, a man charged with running a substantial money laundering operation. The Crown eventually offered no evidence and the defendant was acquitted.
• R v B (2018) – Defended, as a led junior, a defendant said to have fraudulently operated debit card terminals in an eight-week multi-handed multi-million-pound brothel keeping and money laundering trial.
• R v A (2017) – Defended, as a led junior, a business owner in an eight-week multi-handed immigration fraud trial arising from a Panorama programme [Press Report].
• R v M (2017) – Defended, as a led junior, a warehouse owner in a two-month trial concerning a complex multi-million-pound trans-European VAT and alcohol excise duty diversion fraud and alcohol smuggling operation involving cross jurisdictional evidential issues [Press Report].
• V v D (2017) – Advised on private prosecution against a fraudulent investment advisor by his victims.

Serious & Organised Crime

Aneurin regularly represents those alleged to have played a leading role in organised criminal groups (“OCG”) following pro-active, intelligence led investigations; as well as those caught up in organised criminality in lesser roles particularly through coercion and modern slavery.

Featured cases

• EncroChat and Op Venetic (2022-23) Represented, as a led junior, the five lead claimants in the test case before the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (“IPT”) challenging the lawfulness of the Targeted Equipment Interference Warrants issued to the NCA to permit the interception of Encrochat in the first challenge to the lawfulness of the NCA’s warrants in this hugely consequential investigation. The claim was also the first challenge to this class of warrant to date. The challenge was brought on the basis that: the interception was in fact utilised live intercept; the NCA acted in bad faith; and, the interception was unlawful bulk interference. The claims are now the subject of appeal Press Report.
• R v F (2023) Represented a defendant in three separate substantial class A drug importation and supply conspiracies arising from Encrochat interception all being tried at the Crown Court at Newcastle. The defence sought and continue to seek to deploy nationally leading expert evidence on the mechanism of the interception challenging the lawfulness and admissibility of the interception Press Report.
• R v Z (2023) Defending, as a led junior, in a sophisticated people smuggling prosecution turning in large part on foreign intercept evidence.
• R v M (2023) Represented a defendant charged with involvement in a commercial sophisticated conspiracy to bring migrants to the UK concealed in a corrupt lorry driver’s trailer Press Report.
• R v X (2022) Defended, led by David Etherington K.C., an alleged Encrochat user alleged to have arranged for the importation of hundreds of kilos of cocaine through the use of a corrupted cargo agent. The trial involved competing expert cell site evidence seeking to dispute co-location  Press Report.
• R v H (2022) Represented a defendant charged with a class A drugs supply conspiracy arising from Encrochat interception said to be the largest such conspiracy ever prosecuted by Thames Valley Police Press Report.
• R v H (2022) Represented a father and son in proceedings against them for a series of sophisticated commercial burglaries of commercial storage units resulting in over £1.5 million in goods beings stolen. Both defendants received suspended sentences.
• R v B (2021) – Currently instructed to defend a man charged with managing a substantial drug line operation on the basis of detailed comparative analysis of phone and cell site records.
• R v P (2021) – Currently instructed to defend the alleged leader of a multi-handed conspiracy to cultivate cannabis at a number of industrial cannabis farms.
• R v F (2021) – Currently instructed to defend one of five men charged with a violent armed robbery of a cannabis farm.
• R v S (2021) – Currently instructed to defend a youth charged with a modern slavery offence concerning the alleged coercion of younger children into class A street dealing.
• R v L (2020) – Defended an alleged lieutenant in a large scale multi-handed cocaine supply conspiracy. Following a six-week trial the jury were unable to reach a verdict on the defendant and he eventually received a suspended sentence following a plea on an agreed limited basis.
• R v TX (2019) – Defended a mechanic caught up in a complex, multi-handed car-ringing conspiracy. Following a five-week trial, turning on expert mechanical evidence, the defendant was acquitted.
• R v C (2019) – Defended a custodian of 31 kilos of high purity cocaine.
• R v B (2018) – Defended a cocaine smuggler in two eight-week multi-handed trials for a multi-kilo cocaine importation conspiracy, turning on detailed telephone billing data and banking evidence [Press Report]
• R v B (2017) – Defended a “trusted lieutenant” of one of the Stephen Lawrence murder suspects charged with running a substantial wholesale cannabis supply conspiracy [Press Report]

Murder & Manslaughter

Aneurin regularly represents defendants charged with offences of violence of the utmost seriousness including homicides.

Featured cases

• R v DR (2023) Defended, led by Jenni Dempster K.C., a defendant charged with murder following his participation in an armed home invasion of a drug dealer’s home in which the householder was stabbed and shot with ball bearings multiple times. The defendant having changed his defence from alibi to presence but non-participation in the first week of trial was unanimously acquitted of murder Press Report.
• R v El-C (2023) Defended, as a led junior, a teenager charged with the murder of a young man following a chance meeting in the street. The defendant accepted fatally stabbing the deceased nine times, seven of which were to the back. The defendant was unanimously acquitted on murder and manslaughter on the basis of self-defence Press Report.
• R v B (2023) Defended, as a led junior, the first small boats pilot charged with the manslaughter of a number of passengers who tragically drowned when the boat he was piloting capsized during their crossing of the Channel. The case involved the novel application of concepts of causation and gross negligence to small boats pilots and the development of a novel defence to the recently amended s.25 facilitation of illegal arrivals in the UK offence Press Report.
• R v L (2022) Defended, as a led junior, one of three defendants charged with a fatal stabbing following a fight between class A dealers in a “crack den”. The defendant was  acquitted on the basis of self-defence Press Report.
• R v V (2022) Defended, led by Jenni Dempster K.C., a man charged with murdering his sister-in-law with an axe, the issue being competing psychiatric evidence as to whether he was suffering diminished responsibility at the time of the killing Press Report.
• R v B (2022) Defended a defendant charged with gross negligence manslaughter following a fatal car accident resulting in the tragic death of a 2 year old Press Report.
• R v L (2021) – Currently instructed, led by Jenni Dempster QC, to defend one of three defendants charged with a fatal stabbing following a fight in a “crack den”.
• R v Y (2021) – Defended one of five defendants charged with offences including kidnap, false imprisonment and attempted section 18 wounding. Following defence requests for disclosure, the prosecution offered no evidence on all charges, save for one of affray and the defendant received a suspended sentence.
• R v D (2020) – Defended, led by Jenni Dempster QC, a 15 year old charged with the fatal stabbing of another 15 year old aboard a bus in Stratford. The defendant was convicted of murder but acquitted of section 18 wounding in relation to a stabbing of a second boy on the same occasion [Press Report]
• R v M (2020) – Defended, as a led junior, an 18 year old with learning difficulties in a conspiracy to murder trial concerning two gang related drive by shootings. The defendant was discharged at the close of the prosecution case following a defence submission of no case to answer [Press Report]
• R v S (2020) – Defended a man charged with providing a car used in a fatal, gang related drive by shooting. Following submissions on the admissibility of DNA evidence the Crown offered no evidence against the defendant and he was acquitted.
• R v A (2020) – Defended a woman charged, along with four others, with conspiracy to stab a bouncer which resulted in the victim receiving life changing injuries. The defendant was acquitted after the prosecution offered no evidence
• R v M-W (2018) – Defended a youth on appeal from the youth court against charges of witness intimidation and section 18 wounding in an alleged gang stabbing involving cross examination of a vulnerable young complainant to show his account was not truthful.

Appeals

Aneurin is frequently instructed to give a second opinion on grounds of appeal against conviction and sentence on a referral basis, often long after trial counsel’s negative advice. He regularly appears before the Court of Appeal on behalf of clients he has represented in proceedings before the lower Courts and on behalf of defendants previously represented by others.

He has been praised by the Court of Appeal for his submissions including by Lord Justice Dingemans for ‘his succinct and reasoned submissions’ in R v Brown [2019] – EWCA Crim 2317 and by HHJ Collier QC the former Recorder of Leeds for his ‘focused and helpful advice on appeal, which was of great assistance in helping us‘ in R v Lordan [2017] – EWCA Crim 905.

Featured cases​​

• R v K (2023) Appeal against conviction granted for a further asylum seeker wrongly convicted of facilitating the illegal entry of other on-board the small boats he helped to pilot across the English Chanel.
• R v M (2023) Secured leave to appeal a sentence imposed for a convicted people smuggler.
• R v Kakaei [2021] – EWCA Crim 503 Appeal against conviction granted, following renewed application for leave to appeal, confirming a novel defence against charges of facilitating a breach of immigration law in relation to pilots of small boats of asylum seekers crossing the English Channel, on the basis that asylum seekers do not breach an immigration law by seeking to arrive in the UK in order to claim asylum. Following the appellant’s acquittal at the subsequent retrial the CPS changed its Guidance on charging asylum seekers, offered no evidence in a further 12 on going prosecutions and at least 11 asylum seekers appealed their historic conviction for piloting small boats. [Press Report].
• R v Bani & Others [2021] – EWCA Crim 1958 Appeal against conviction granted and convictions quashed on behalf of four asylum seekers who were convicted or pleaded guilty to piloting small boats before the case of Kakaei was decided with the CPS being criticised for having adopted a legal “heresy” with respect to the prosecution of these case, [Press Report] & [Press Report].
• R v G (2021) – Currently instructed to pursue an appeal against sentence for an offence of posing as a police officer to make ostensibly legal seizures of over £1 millions in drugs money. Despite trial counsel’s negative advice leave to appeal has been granted.
• R v L (2021) – Currently instructed to appeal a sentence of imprisonment for a consensual sexual relationship between a 21 year old defendant and his 15 year old girlfriend.
• R v I (2021) – Currently instructed to advise on an appeal against a historic conviction for a gang murder on the basis of an inconsistent approach taken by the prosecution to various parties and fresh evidence calling the credibility of the principal witness into question.
• R v K (2021) – Currently instructed to advise on an appeal against a historic conviction for a gang murder on the basis of seeking disclosure of phone material which was not disclosed in the course of the original proceedings.
• R v KK (2021) – Currently instructed to appeal a conviction for facilitating a breach of immigration law in relation to a pilot of a small boat of asylum seekers crossing the English Channel, on the basis that asylum seekers do not breach immigration law by seeking to land in the UK and immediately claim asylum.
• R v Singh [2020] – EWCA Crim 276 Appealed against a sentence, after leave to appeal had been refused on the basis of trial counsel’s grounds of appeal, resulting in a reduction of a sentence of imprisonment from 78 to 71 months in a case of a sophisticated and substantial identity fraud.
• R v H (2020) – Appealed against the imposition of the majority of the terms imposed in a Sexual Harm Prevent Order (“SHPO”) following a conviction for possession of indecent images of children, which the prosecution did not oppose following receipt of the grounds of appeal.
• R v Brown [2019] – EWCA Crim 2317 Renewed an application for leave to appeal a murder conviction on the basis of fresh psychiatric evidence, in which, although unsuccessful, he was praised by L.J. Dingemans.
• R v Abdurahman [2019] – EWCA Crim 2239 Drafted grounds of appeal on behalf of trial counsel in a referral by the CCRC of a conviction linked to the 7/7 bombings on the basis of a contested confession and following a successful appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.
• R v Adnan Khan [2019] – EWCA Crim 2084 Appealed, as a led junior, a sentence for a high-level class A drug dealer following an extensive period on the run reducing the sentence from 12 to 10 years’ imprisonment.
• R v Iyas Khan [2019] – EWCA Crim 2320 Appealed, as a led junior, against a conviction for possession with intent to supply 10 kilos of heroin on the basis of the evidential insufficiency of fingerprints on a movable object and cross admissibility of counts.
• R v S, W & C (2018) – Advised, as a led junior, on an appeal against the CCRC’s refusal to refer the applicants’ convictions for the infamous “Rettendon” fatal gang shooting in 1995 to the Court of Appeal.
• R v Miah [2018] – EWCA Crim 364 Appealed against a sentence for causing serious injury by dangerous driving reducing the sentence of imprisonment from three to two years.
• R v Boyle [2018] – EWCA Crim 2567 Appealed against a sentence imposed for an offence of assault by penetration by a defendant who posed as a doctor.
• R v Lordan [2017] – EWCA Crim 905 Appealed against a sentence for a series of handbag thefts reducing the sentence from 42 to 16 months’.
• R v Riddle [2017] – 1 W.L.R. 3593 Persuaded the Court of Appeal to enlarge the defences available for dangerous driving to include self-defence and to reduce a sentence of imprisonment to allow for the defendant’s immediate release in a case of intentionally driving at a victim causing injuries.
• R v Galvin [2016] – EWCA Crim 2216 Resisted an Attorney General’s Reference for an unduly lenient sentence for a series of organised robberies of lorries.
• R v Martin Clayton [2014] – EWCA Crim 557 Appealed against a sentence for a courier of ten kilos of cannabis reducing his sentence of imprisonment from 14 to ten months’.
• R v T (2014) – Appealed, as a led junior, against sentence and advised on an appeal against conviction in a shaken baby case on the basis of fresh scientific evidence.
• R v Noorullah [2012] – EWCA Crim 1643 Appealed, as a led junior, against a conviction and sentence for handling £2 million worth of stolen prescription medicines.
• R v Jamshed Khan [2011] – EWCA Crim 2240 Appealed, as a led junior, a conviction in the case of the 2005 Bradford general election fraud [Press Report].
• R v Flounders [2011] – EWCA Crim 2907 Appealed against a sentence imposed for a domestic burglary reducing the sentence from three and half years’ to 18 months’ imprisonment.

Sexual Offences

Aneurin is regularly instructed in defence of people charged with serious Sexual Offences and advises on and conducts appeals on behalf of defendants convicted of Sexual Offences. He regularly appears on behalf of defendants charged with all manner of offences related to indecent images of children and extreme pornography.

Featured cases

• R v W (2023) Applied on behalf of a Veterinary Surgeon to be returned to the Veterinary Surgeon Register following his conviction for possession of indecent images of children. The applicant was re-admitted to the Register.
• R v H (2021) – Defended, as a led junior, the Rt. Hon. Simon Howard charged with sexually abusing a six year old girl in 1984 who was staying at his stately home, Castle Howard. The Court was persuaded the defendant was unfit to plead due to amnesia and consequently he received an absolute discharge [Press Report] & [Press Report]
• R v Y (2021) – Defended a Police Superintendent charged with exposure when he was alleged to have masturbated in the presence of a young woman in the countryside. The defendant was unanimously acquitted when it was demonstrated the defendant had prostate problems and was merely urinating [Press Report]
• R v S (2021) – Currently instructed, as a led junior, to defend a defendant charged with a violent stranger rape with elements of intentional additional degradation and subsequent witness and evidence tampering.
• R v H (2020) – Lodged grounds of appeal against the imposition of the majority of the terms imposed by a Sexual Harm Prevent Order (“SHPO”) following conviction before the Crown Court for possession of indecent images of children, which the prosecution did not oppose following receipt of the grounds of appeal.
• R v Z (2020) – Defended a defendant who had repeatedly videoed himself urinating on unsuspecting women whilst on public transport as well as taking “up-skirting” photos and possessing extreme pornography and indecent images of children. The defendant received a suspended sentence.
• R v Boyle [2018] – EWCA Crim 2567 Appealed against a sentence imposed for an offence of assault by penetration by a defendant who posed as a doctor.
• R v M (2019) – Appealed, as a led junior, against the length of a sentence of imprisonment imposed for a campaign of historic rapes, while the defendant was still a juvenile, of two younger cousins.
• R v P (2015) – Defended, as a led junior, a child of service personnel based in Germany before the Court Martial charged with rape of another juvenile. The defendant was acquitted.
• R v E (2015) – Defended a youth charged with repeated rapes of a younger boy with ostensible consent. The defendant received a non-custodial disposal following a plea on an agreed and limited basis.

Education

• Bar Vocational Course, BPP Law School: Very Competent
• GDL, City University: Distinction
• BA (Hons) Philosophy, Bristol University: First

Awards

• Overall Winner of the Inner Temple Pupil Advocacy Prize
• Inner Temple Major Scholar
• ESU British Universities Team Member for the annual 3-month tour of US Universities
• Semi-finalist at the World Student Debating Championships, Singapore
• Champion at the European Student Debating Championships, Croatia

Professional appointments

• CPS Panel Advocate (Grade 3), (2018)

Memberships

• CBA

Publications

• An Analysis of the Nationality Law, The Law Society Gazette (21 July 2021), Author
• Patel’s Policies Only Seek to Target Vulnerable Refugees, The Times (3 June 2021), Co-author with Jenni Dempster QC
• Prosecutions for Assisting Unlawful Immigration in Small Boats Cases: The Key to Acquittal, Free Movement (17 May 2021), Author

Other expertise

• Crime

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