3PB

Crime and Regulatory Crime

Thomas Acworth is a criminal specialist. His practice encompasses general crime, regulatory crime and police law.

Crime and Regulatory Crime

Thomas Acworth’s practice is centred on heavyweight crime. He appears in cases involving homicide, sexual abuse and serious organised crime. Thomas’s fearless advocacy and meticulous case preparation have been recognised in both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500.
Appellate Work
F v The Queen (Jamaica): Murder. Advising on appeal to Privy Council on issues of identification, character evidence and incompetency of counsel. Case concerned a gangland contract killing.

R v C & D: Armed Robbery: Resisting appeal against terminating ruling following successful submission of no case to answer. Case concerned joint-enterprise and circumstantial evidence.

R v JJ: Making indecent images of children. Appeal against indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
Drugs
R v Y & Others (Operation Whale): Conspiracy to Import Class A. NCA investigation into international cocaine smuggling ring based overseas. Case concerned crew of a super yacht smuggling cocaine into the UK, case linked to another importation of £160 million worth of cocaine into UK. Evidence included encrypted messaging services and GPS locators.

R v Q & Two Others (Operation Pacgal): Possession of Class A with Intent. Albanian nationals accused of involvement in substantial cocaine distribution network (multiple kilos) in London. Encrochat evidence.

R v L & Six Others (Operation Warbler): Conspiracy to Supply Class A. Led by David Richards. County lines conspiracy. Substantial telephone evidence. Issues of human trafficking, forced criminality and extended abuse of process arguments.

R v G & Five Others (Operation Hector): Conspiracy to Supply Class A and Human Trafficking. Led by Simon Jones. County lines conspiracy. Substantial telephone evidence.

R v L & Nine Others (Operation Plaudit): Conspiracy to Supply Class A. Large county-lines drug-dealing operation, based in Liverpool.

R v P & Six Others (Operation Geology): Converting Criminal Property. Defendant accused of storing cash for a leading-member of an organised crime group, which was involved in the supply of cocaine and methamphetamine.

R v W (Operation Orochi): Concerned in the Supply of Class A. Defendant from Essex orchestrated supply of Class A drugs in Sussex. Case turned entirely on circumstantial observations of D together with extensive cell-site evidence.

R v F (Operation Crosslands): Conspiracy to Supply Class A. Conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin. Undercover police officers.

R v U & Six Others (Operation Scowl): Production of Cannabis. Defendant of previous good character accused of producing cannabis for commercial supply. Case linked to large Encrochat operation involving supply of cocaine.

Year of Call: 2014