The Legal 500

Position

Karim practises mainly in London and the South East, including East Anglia. He has defended or prosecuted most of the high-profile and high-value matters to arise on circuit in recent years. Due to his fantastic reputation he finds his expertise increasingly being sought for cases outside the region, particularly across the Midlands and Western Circuit. Karim was called to the Bar in 1984, became one of the youngest assistant recorders/recorders, and took Silk in 2003 prior to prosecuting Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr (the Soham murders). His expertise is widely sought in diverse fields, including murder, serious fraud (including Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise and MTIC), health and safety, drug trafficking and sexual offences. He has a particular interest in medico-legal, science-based and baby-shaking cases. His close association with the University of Cambridge enables him to draw on significant expertise when considering any new area of scientific interest, making him a leading Silk in the cross-examination of scientific experts in many fields (including pathology, neuropathology, genetics, palynology {plant-based analysis} and mineralogy). Karim successfully resisted criminal proceedings on behalf of one of the government scientists in the Porton Down investigation. He has been involved in a number of trials involving police informants and is known for the careful and sensitive handling of such cases, including the significant issues of PII and ex-parte applications that arise. Karim has made representations to the Discretionary Lifer Panel and he appears regularly in the Court of Appeal, often superceding original trial counsel. He represented Richard Jan on his appeals against conviction and sentence for a campaign of petrol bombings (said to be one of the most dangerous men in the UK) and he represented the successful appellant in the House of Lords in R v Wang (Judge’s direction to convict, unlawful). He writes the chapter on confiscation law in ‘Fraud: Law Practice and Procedure’ published by LexisNexis and is instructed in cases involving significant confiscation proceedings. He has appeared in the VAT Tribunal on behalf of those appealing against refusals by HM Customs to repay VAT following assertions of VAT/MTIC fraud. Karim has championed the use of the digital presentation of evidence in court (often working closely with Acume) and was the keynote presenter at the inaugural conference for SIOs in the Apple Mac suite in London. Karim has strong professional links with the forensic science services and LGC and is a member of the British Academy of Forensic Sciences to whom he presented the keynote speech on ‘The Science of the Soham Murders’. Some further notable cases are listed below: R v Tucker defence –murder, landlord shot partner at point blank range (reported on BBC, Daily Mail, Evening News); R v Jewell defence –murder by strangulation. Jury agreed with the defence that it was manslaughter on the grounds of lack of intent due to the defendants severe alcoholism (reported on BBC, Northampton Chronicle); R v Acas defence –murder by repeatedly stamping on victim. The body was then hidden under a mattress at the same address (reported on BBC, Cambridge Times).

Career

Called 1984; Lincolns Inn; assistant Recorder 1997; Recorder 2000; QC 2003; chairman Cambridge & Peterborough Bar Mess; Chairman Cambs/Herts/Beds Liaison Committee. Publications of note: chapter on Confiscation in ‘Fraud: law; Practice and procedure’ (Butterworths).

Member

SE Circuit; Criminal Bar Association; Norfolk Bar Mess; Bar Disciplinary tribunal; Panel member of High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire’s Award for Forensic Excellence; Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Education

Cheadle Hulme School; Queens’ College, Cambridge (MA (Hons) Law; Bar vocational).

Leisure

Golf (GogMagog); tennis (next generation); Lacrosse (Hawks)

Practice Areas

Crime - general; Fraud: crime; Health and safety