Benn Maguire > Chambers of Adrian Darbishire KC and Selva Ramasamy KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

Benn Maguire

020 7933 8855 barristers@qebhw.co.uk

Position

Benn Maguire has a continuing reputation as a formidable advocate. He is currently instructed in the News of the World ‘hacking’ case and recently he has successfully defended a member of the Household Cavalry charged with homicide, a merchant banker acquitted of assault charges, a company director found not guilty of perjury and represented an alleged drug supplier following his successful appeal to the Court of Appeal. He has experience of a broad spectrum of criminal matters, including homicide, grave sexual offences and drugs offences. Whilst he undertakes both prosecution and defence work, he is particularly noted for his very successful defence work, both public and private. He is a favourite with the best criminal law firms and, as a highly respected leading junior, Benn regularly leads in all areas of criminal work, including money-laundering, drugs importation (including one of the largest cases in history), historic child abuse and confiscation matters. His tenacious and tactical approach to his appellate work has secured a number of unexpected reversals of fortune.

Career

Qualified Inner Temple 1994. Benn Maguire has represented individuals in confiscation applications under the Proceeds of Crime Act, the Drug Trafficking Act and the Criminal Justice Act. He has defended individuals facing complex multimillion-pound applications relating to assets directly/legally owned and assets in which an individual is alleged to have a beneficial interest. In light of the broad scope of the legislation on confiscation applications, he represents the interests of third parties affected by potential and/or actual confiscation orders. He continues to provide advice to the largest national newspapers in relation to the potential criminal implications of the activities of journalists and their articles. Examples of matters where Benn Maguire has provided advice include the Madeline McCann case and the Saunders case (barrister shooting). He continues to provide advice to terrestrial television channels and production companies, and in relation to alleged crimes, such as those committed by actors in ‘shock’ TV programmes. In the area of private prosecutions, he has advised individuals regarding the merits of pursuing a private prosecution against a wide variety of individuals including politicians and celebrities. He has developed a successful appellate practice in providing advice and representation to individual’s intent on pursuing appeals against a wrongful conviction, having been represented by other advocates at the original trials. In the area of Family Court applications, he drafts applications and applies for permission to use relevant documents in the criminal courts (following the embargo on the use of documents submitted in family proceedings, such as affidavits and transcripts, in criminal courts without leave of the Family Court).

Memberships

British Association of Sports Law; Criminal Bar Association; registered with the Bar Council Public Access Directory; Public Access Bar Association (PABA).