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Leonard Smith QC
CALLED 1986 2008 Queen's Counsel
Practice
Extensive experience in several jurisdictions, defending in all forms of complex and grave crime. Particular expertise in all areas of white collar- crime-recently achieved the acquittal, after a 160 day trial, of his CEO client in The Imperial Consolidated Group case, one of the largest alleged investment fraud trials yet prosecuted by the SFO. Has defended accountants, solicitors, portfolio providers and company directors and has regularly advised persons under investigation.
NOTABLE CASES R v Fraser and Brook – Blackfriars Crown Court One of the largest and most complex international investment frauds ever prosecuted by the SFO- appeared for Chief Executive Officer who was fully acquitted after a trial lasting 160 days. See-among numerous other media reports: Guardian Federal Criminal Defense Blog R v Olivier – Nottingham Crown Court Operation Gnawed - Massive Customs MTIC fraud – acquittal following abuse of process submissions.
R v Routledge –Birmingham Crown Court Large VAT fraud- appeared for chartered accountant.
R v Haughton – Chester Crown Court Large MTIC fraud- acquittal following abuse of process submissions concerning disclosure.
R v Murden and Others - Leeds Crown Court Large imported vehicle fraud
R v Anderson – Bristol Intellectual Property fraud on Investors – Long running trial.
R v Stark - Birmingham `Customs fraud “of allegedly gigantic scale” GENERAL CRIME Has appeared in numerous murder trials and appellate proceedings including the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (3 Appeals) and in the House of Lords.
R v Manai and Lamponi Double murder trial at the Central Criminal Court.
R v Daniels – (2009) - Bradford Main defendant acquitted of murder in alleged organised crime conspiracy.
R v H & C (House of Lords) [2004] 2 WLR 335 R v H (Court of Appeal) [2003] 1 WLR 3006 The seminal case on applications for Public Interest Immunity and the clarification of the law and procedure of Disclosure.
R v Thomas (Ian) Court of Appeal (1995) 16 CRR (S) 616 This case decided whether a sentence could pass a longer than commensurate sentence when the defendant had no previous convictions.
R v Austin – Central Criminal Court Alleged contract killing - High Profile case that collapsed in June 2008 due to witness anonymity concerns
R v Black, Campbell and others – Central Criminal Court The Carlton Hotel Murder in Bedford -during which an armed robbery gang held up 200 people and murdered the wife of the Mayor of Banburg, the German town that is twinned with Bedford.
R v Leonetti – Central Criminal Court Sicilian Blackmail / firearms case –acquittal.
R v Logan –Central Criminal Court Murder and disposal of three babies over several years.
R v Lidar and Others – Leicester Crown Court Murder by running down in "gang wars"
R v Ellis – Central Criminal Court Armed robbery Conspiracy
The Eclipse Murders - Leicester Crown Court During the total eclipse in August 2000, the defendant, for no apparent reason, attacked a man and his son.
R v Hill – Luton Crown Court Murder by strangulation of child in Luton
R v Stemp – Nottingham Crown Court Murder and torture of a priest
The Taxi Driver Murder – Nottingham Crown Court A high profile case where a Market Harborough Taxi driver was killed in a contract killing.
R v Long- Leicester Crown Court led for defendant in "shaken baby syndrome” case
R v Dalrymple – Leicester Crown Court high profile murder of elderly woman.
R v Anderson – Bristol Crown Court Large scale fraud trial involving the printing and photographics industry.
Marshall v Express Newspapers – Royal Courts Of Justice led in Libel case - The Brixton Prison Breakout- Client was alleged to have supplied a firearm to allow two prisoners to escape from Brixton Prison in 1991.
R v Croydon – Nottingham Crown Court Murder by wife at East Midlands Airport hotel after sex games
R v Khachik and Knaggs –Sheffield Crown Court led for main defendant in 9 handed long running class A drugs trial.
R v Heskey and Goodman – Nottingham Crown Court led for main defendant – contract murder in Nightclub.
R v SP –Luton Crown Court Murder of man by 13 year old in Bedford
R v G Brown – Leicester Crown Court multiple historic - sexual abuse case
R v Duggan, Russell and Amarty – Leicester Crown Court Attempted Murder of police officer.
R v Martin –Cardiff Crown Court led for main defendant in large nationwide scale drugs supply gang
R v Welsh –Nottingham Crown Court Murder – main defendant- torture and disememberment of body parts
R v Fowler –Kings Lynn Crown Court Large scale Class A drugs ring trial
R v McKechnie –St Albans Crown Court murder x 3 – full acquittal
R v Wall – Leicester Crown Court Nightclub murder in Leicester
R v Downs –Leeds Crown Court Large scale heroin supply – full acquittal after abuse of process aubmissions
R v Wheelton – Stafford Crown Court Defended police officer charged with serious computer offences
R v Cogan – Nottingham Crown Court sexual assault and murder of an 82 year old woman in her own home
R v Brennan – Leeds Crown Court large drugs importation from Spain - led for main defendant
R v Warde – Liverpool Crown Court Customs fraud/ drugs importation.
R v Clarke –St Albans Crown Court led in trial of serial rapist (5 women)
R v Bannister – Hull Crown Court Drugs importation in the North East - led for main defendant
R v Youness –Newcastle Crown Court Large scale Class A drugs gang -led for main defendant
R v Haslam – Luton Crown Court Trial of Headteacher charged with serial sexual offences
R v Uddin and others, Luton Crown Court Murder-Seminal Joint Enterprise authority
R v Hargreaves – Birmingham Crown Court Operation Ore –Police officer - The use of cybertip hearsay evidence from the US – acquittal after prosecution’s attempt to admit evidence rejected by judge. One of the first English cases where this issue was considered.
R v Campbell - Leicester Crown Court Leicester football riot case- only defendant aquitted.
INTERNATIONAL Has appeared in serious criminal trials in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
