1 Inner Template Lane, Barristers Chambers
Since joining 1 Inner Temple Lane in 2006 Paul has practised almost exclusively in crime and related fields. This has predominantly involved defending at all levels, including allegations of murder, rape, fraud and serious violence.
Paul is a Level 3 CPS advocate for the South Eastern [London/Non London] and Western circuits. He is also on the CPS rape panel.Year of call: 1999
Main practice areas
He is also on the Attorney General’s combined list of advocates and is a graded prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service.
He has in the past also been instructed in to appear before Courts-Martial, Mental Health Review Tribunals, in inquests and prison disciplinary proceedings, and has experience in judicial review, civil anti-social behaviour orders and injunctions, and asset forfeiture / confiscation proceedings.
He is accredited for public access work.
Appellate work
He is regularly instructed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission to review sentences and convictions with a view to advising on potential referrals to the Court of Appeal. Some instances are listed below, along with examples of his other appellate work.
Advice for the CCRC
R - v - Nasar Akhtar
Advising on appeal against an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment imposed following conviction for attempted murder at the Crown Court at Birmingham in September 2007.
R - v - Brian Tebbutt
Advising on grounds of appeal against conviction for murder at the Crown Court at Northampton in December 2005. The prospective appellant had been convicted of murdering his ex-wife.
R - v - RT
Advising on appeal against conviction and sentence imposed in January 2007. The appellant had been sentenced to an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection having been convicted on an indictment containing nine counts variously alleging the rape of a child aged under 13 years, sexual assault of a child aged under 13 years, and administering poison. The victims were the children and partner of the defendant’s cousin, with whom he had been living in 2006. The case against him was based solely on admissions that he had made at the time and subsequently in lengthy police interviews, which he contended were the result of threats and oppression from the family and assorted others.
Other appellate work
R v JB [2003] EWCA Crim 1274
Whether an immediate custodial sentence was appropriate for an offender with significant learning difficulties (IQ of 55) convicted after trial of importing 7.56kg of cannabis (packed into yams) from Jamaica.
R v DG [2004] EWCA Crim 2453
A 16 year old appellant sentenced to the maximum 24 month detention and training order having pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and two offences of robbery. Sentence upheld.
R v Avery, Kelly and two others [2004] EWCA Crim 3144
Sentences of four years upheld for conspiracy to burgle over 16 dwelling houses in Brighton between January and March 2003.
R v Flamur Topali [2006] EWCA Crim 429
Whether a minimum term of 16 years imposed after conviction for murder gave rise to any disparity argument, where the offender (unlike his co-accused) was not a ringleader, had not attempted to escape from the jurisdiction and had given important assistance to the investigating officers after his arrest.
R v Andrew Sedys [2007] EWCA Crim 449
20 year old offender (19 at date of offence) sentenced to 3 years for involvement in two night time street robberies in south London. Reduced to 18 months.
R v Michael Adekayoja [2007] EWCA Crim 584
18 months imprisonment for possession of improperly obtained identity documents reduced to 12 months.
R v Kasim Mohammed [2007] EWCA Crim 659
12 month community order substituted for 9 months detention for a young offender who had pleaded guilty to offering to supply a class A drug.
R v Raldine Barnes & Jean-Yves McIntosh [2007] EWCA Crim 1204
Two offenders jointly accused of dwelling burglary. 30 months detention in a young offender’s institution reduced to 18 months.
R v Anthony Gibbs [2007] EWCA Crim 2129
Whether exceptional circumstances existed which might allow the court not to impose the minimum 5 year term for possession of a prohibited weapon under section 51A of the Firearms Act 1968.
R v JP [2008] EWCA Crim 3210
4½ years imposed for three street robberies reduced to a 36 month community order, where the defendant had a significant history of mental illness and had spent over 18 months detained under section 3 of the Mental Health Act between the commission of the offences and his trial.
R v B [2009] EWCA Crim 2517
Custodial sentence not wrong in principle for a 15 year old offender (14 at the time of the offence) who had pleaded guilty to possession of class A drugs with intent to supply.
Other cases of interest
2011
R v RH & others, Crown Court at Brighton, March – April 2011
Representing one of three defendants acquitted of violent disorder in a Brighton seafront nightclub, following a three week trial.
R v Mark Keating, Crown Court at Lewes
R v Lianne Burris, Crown Court at Luton
2010
R v KW and another Crown Court at Norwich, August 2010
One of two youths acquitted after trial of section 18 wounding at a teenage birthday party.
R v CS & JB
The defendant was accused of conspiring with a friend (a practising barrister) to pervert the course of justice over a drink driving allegation. Eventually acquitted following a hung jury at trial.
2009
R v Russell Ravenall, Crown Court at Birmingham
2008
R v Benny Adams, Crown Court at Southwark
2007
R v Ali Nyass, Crown Court at Lewes
R v Hassan Abdi, Crown Court at Inner London
R v RR
A 13 year old boy accused of the rape of a 6 year old girl.
2005
R v Stephen Stock and another, Crown Court at Lewes
As junior counsel
R v Ernest Newberry, Crown Court at Chichester, 2006
R v Dundas-Jones, Bennett, Callender-Martin & others, Crown Court at Snaresbrook, 2006-07
R v Dema, Dema, Topalli and others, Crown Court at Lewes, 2005
Qualifications and Memberships
BA (Hons) in History at the University of Exeter, 1993-96, upper second class.
Postgraduate Diploma in Law and the Bar Vocational Course taken at the BPP Law School in London, 1997-99.
General civil and common law pupillage at 2 Field Court (Chambers of Ashley Underwood QC) and Westgate Chambers (Chambers of John Collins and Jeremy Gold QC), 1999-2001.
Tenancy at Westgate Chambers, 2001-2006, initially with a mixed civil and criminal practice.
Member of the Criminal Bar Association, the Sussex Bar Mess and the South London Bar Mess.
telephone: +44 (0)20 7427 4400
fax: +44 (0)20 7427 4427
email: clerks@1itl.com
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