Foundry Chambers
YEAR OF CALL 1983. APPOINTED KC 2015
Prosecution.
James is a criminal practitioner who has focused for over 20 years principally on commercial and tax fraud. He has appeared in numerous serious, complex and high-profile fraud trials, usually with a substantial international element. In recent years, he has been involved principally in financial services and other business-related investigations and, in particular, the series of Euribor interest rate rigging cases, one of which has resulted in appeals against convictions being dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The case is due to be heard in the Supreme Court in 2025.
In 2023, he prosecuted the first SFO case where there has been a conviction for the offence of tipping off in the regulated sector.
In 2023, he also prosecuted a large scale tax evasion and trading standards case. He is instructed in the subsequent confiscation proceedings. The identified assets exceed £70 million. As well as confiscation proceedings, James is also instructed in relation to restraint of assets.
He recently prosecuted a corporate bribery case which concerned the obtaining of contracts in the building industry.
He appeared for five directors in a civil case which concerns the exercise of their duties under the Companies Act 2006 and in respect of which there is a parallel SFO investigation.
Through his cases, he has gained experience of a wide range of business activities and associated regulation.
During the last two years, he has also prosecuted many cases of serious sexual offences.
Exeter University LLB (Hons)