David has acted in a wide variety of murder, attempted murder and manslaughter cases in the Crown Court and before the Court of Appeal, acting alone in attempted murder and manslaughter cases, including successfully defending clients for murder, manslaughter and attempted murder at the Central Criminal Court (the Old Bailey).

David has also prosecuted allegations of criminal misconduct following a death in custody.

His scientific training and expertise have proved invaluable in handling expert and scientific evidence. He also has the training and experience to deal with children and young people, vulnerable clients and witnesses (including those with mental health issues) and the various psychiatric defences.

David has comprehensive experience of prosecuting and defending in cases dealing with organised crime, criminal networks and conspiracies. He is skilled at handling and presenting voluminous phone, internet, social media and cell-site data.

He has been instructed in numerous cases concerning allegations of violent crime, such as serious assaults, aggravated burglary and robbery, which have involved all manner of weapons and defences, including the possession and use of firearms with intent to endanger life.

David’s experience and expertise has been recognised by the CPS in this area of criminal law. They have appointed him to the CPS Panel to prosecute cases of terrorism and serious organised crime at Grade 4 (the highest grade).

His expertise has been called upon to assist those challenging the DPP’s decision not to prosecute.

Recent cases include:

• R (On the application of T) v DPP (2019): currently instructed as junior counsel by the Centre for Women’s Justice in a judicial review against a decision by the CPS not to prosecute a man following the death of his girlfriend. Permission to appeal granted. Appeal in April.
• R v N (2019): currently instructed to act as leading prosecution counsel in the trial of a multi-handed conspiracy to burgle.
• R v H (2018): leading counsel in the successful defence of one of the main defendants charged with conspiracy to smuggle migrants into the UK and money laundering. He was instructed at short notice to lead a new defence legal team a few weeks before a 3-month trial.
• R v B (2018): leading counsel in the ground-breaking and high-media profile prosecution of gang land members for conspiracy to cause violent disorder. David advised the CPS and police on, and successfully applied for, the country’s first Criminal Behaviour Orders targeting ‘drill music’ following the conviction of all the defendants.
• R v M (2017): junior counsel to the now DPP, Max Hill QC, in a complex prosecution for serious misconduct in a public office arising out of the death in custody of a remand prisoner.
• R v W (2017): junior counsel to Ed Vickers QC in the successful ‘cut-throat’ defence of a client for murder and manslaughter at the Old Bailey following a 7-week trial.

David has prosecuted and defended in a myriad of rape and child sexual abuse cases, including historic allegations and human trafficking cases.

He has also acted in appeal cases on behalf of women who have been convicted of perverting the course of justice and perjury for making false allegations of rape.

David has been appointed to the CPS Panel to prosecute cases of rape and child sexual abuse at Grade 4 (the highest grade). Indeed, his excellence in this area of criminal law has been recognised since 2005 when he was first appointed to prosecute such serious offences.

Notable appeal cases include:

• R v A (2012) [2012] EWCA Crim 434: challenged a high-profile and controversial prosecution on an appeal before the Lord Chief Justice. ‘Sarah’, as the Appellant ‘A’ is known by the media, had been prosecuted and convicted, by her guilty plea, for perverting the course of justice, for retracting a truthful complaint of rape against her now ex-husband. The Director of Public Prosecutions accepted that ‘Sarah’ would not now be prosecuted with her case forever changing CPS charging practice for such offences. David was also part of the legal team that eventually secured proper criminal injuries compensation for ‘Sarah’ in 2016 on an appeal from a CICA (Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority) decision to refuse any award, and a subsequent First-Tier Tribunal decision to offer a reduced award.
• R v A (2010): successfully prosecuted a man for rape who had broken into the victim’s home to commit the crime. He subsequently correctly advised the Attorney General that the sentence passed by the trial judge was unduly lenient: see the so-called “safe-haven” sentencing guidance [Attorney General’s Reference (Nos 73, 75 and 3 of 2010) R v A; R v P; R v M]. In addition, he successfully resisted a subsequent appeal against conviction.
• R v R (2011) [2011] EWCA Crim 579: acted for the Appellant in this appeal, concerning fresh evidence – an alleged retraction by the complainant about her sexual assault to the Appellant’s solicitor and the correct approach for a solicitor to take in such a situation.
• R v B (2003) [2003] EWCA Crim 696: acted for the Appellant in this successful appeal (led by Sasha Wass QC) concerning a child complainant’s refusal to answer questions in cross-examination and the lack of corroboration regarding her allegations of sexual assault.

Recent cases include:

• R v P (2019): currently instructed to act as leading prosecution counsel in the trial of an alleged child abuser.
• R v B (2019): currently instructed to act as junior counsel to Gillian Jones QC in a seminal appeal against conviction and sentence of a woman who was found guilty of perverting the course of justice and perjury in relation to allegations of rape and sexual abuse. He is instructed by the Centre for Women’s Justice. The appeal involves a ground-breaking legal challenge to the loss of anonymity to defendants in such cases and whether they should be entitled to the standard myth and stereotype directions routinely afforded to potential victims in sex cases. The appeal has been listed before Hallett LJ.
• Various recent cases (2016, 2017 and 2018): acted alone in the successful prosecution and defence of several separate cases of rape and child sexual abuse.
• Various recent cases (2016 and 2017): worked pro bono with instructing solicitors on a number of CCRC appeals in potential miscarriage of justice cases concerning women convicted for perverting the course of justice for false allegations of rape.

David has been involved in a large number of fraud, corporate crime, money laundering and POCA cases, ranging from simple frauds to the most serious and complex cases, and in value from thousands to tens of millions of pounds.

These cases have included the following types of fraud: wine fraud; art fraud; tax and VAT fraud; business/corporate fraud; charity fraud; mortgage fraud; insurance fraud; immigration fraud; advanced fee fraud; identity fraud; cyber-crime/online fraud; pyramid schemes; benefit frauds and breach of trust.

His experience and expertise are amply demonstrated by his appointment to the CPS Fraud Panel.

Recent cases include:

• R v R (2019): currently instructed to act alone in the defence of a client accused of conspiracy to commit mortgage fraud and money laundering. He is prosecuted by Queen’s Counsel and leading senior junior counsel in a multi-handed fraud case due to last 8 weeks.
• R v M (2016): acted alone in the defence of an accountant accused of a complex and serious VAT fraud at short notice in a trial at the Central Criminal Court. Commended publicly by the trial judge for the “dedication” he had shown in defending this case.
• R v B (2016): acted alone in the prosecution of a woman for the alleged appropriation of up to £1 million in criminal injuries compensation awarded to her brother. Although B not fit to stand trial, she was found to have committed the act of not acting in the best interests of her brother. Commended publicly by the trial judge.

David has acted in a multiplicity of protest and public order cases involving serious and complex issues of human rights and civil liberties, including allegations of aggravated trespass by protest groups, serious violence against property and people during protests, illegal raves and large-scale prison disorder.

He has advised a specialist police team at New Scotland Yard on the law and procedure relating to protest and public order and the policing of demonstrations. He has also advised a police service on Production Orders for video footage from television/media companies and freelance journalists following a major public order incident in their policing area.

Notable appeal cases include:

• R v F (2013) [2013] EWCA Crim 126: acted alone for the prosecution in this appeal concerning violent disorder at a student demonstration and the trial judge’s summing-up.
• R v P (2004) [2004] EWCA Crim 2757: acted alone for the prosecution in this oft-cited appeal concerning the imposition and terms of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (‘ASBO’).

Recent cases include:

• R v W (2018): acted alone – against senior junior and junior counsel in the Crown Court and Queen’s Counsel and senior junior counsel in the Court of Appeal – in the successful defence of a client charged with a conspiracy to cause a public nuisance (organising a large rave in a disused fire-station) resulting in the largest deployment of police since the London riots. He successfully argued that the proceedings were an abuse of process and that the trial should be stayed. This ruling was overturned following a prosecution appeal to the Court of Appeal, a decision by the Lord Chief Justice. His client was acquitted at the subsequent trial.

David has a niche expertise in dealing with allegations of causing death by dangerous and careless driving and is instructed by solicitors acting on behalf of insurance companies in such cases. He has similarly been instructed by the CPS to prosecute particularly sensitive and high-profile road traffic cases.

Recent cases include:

• R (2019): currently instructed to act for a driver being investigated by the police following a fatal road traffic accident.
• R v W (2018): represented driver in a case of causing death by careless driving, killing a motor-cyclist as he turned right.
• R v D (2016): instructed by the CPS to prosecute a high media profile case of dangerous driving against Queen’s Counsel.