Alan Gardner KC > 23ES > London, England > Barrister Profile
23ES Offices
1 Gray's Inn Square
WC1R 5AA
England
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Alan Gardner KC
Position
Alan is an experienced and highly regarded junior who prosecutes and defends in all types of serious criminal cases. He has acted as leading counsel, a led junior or a junior alone in a very wide range of criminal cases, including high profile murder cases, serious sexual allegations, complex fraud, complex multi handed trials, fatal road traffic cases, kidnap and organized professional robberies.
Alan is ranked as a leading criminal junior in Chambers and Partners 2015 and 2016, where it is said that he is “particularly known for his strength in sexual offence cases.” He is a Grade 4 CPS prosecutor. He is on the CPS Specialist Rape Panel, and is instructed by specialist CPS divisions such as Special Casework and the Specialist Fraud Group.
Alan’s recent experience includes:
- Leading counsel for the prosecution in the trial of a number of men accused of the rape and sexual exploitation of several young girls;
- Junior counsel for the prosecution in a complex fraud trial at the Central Criminal Court;
- Several cases of attempted murder (ranging from a throat cutting in a pub to a fight with meat cleavers in a Chinese restaurant);
- Other recent trial experience includes cases of gang-related kidnap, cyber fraud and armed robberies investigated by the Metropolitan Police Flying Squad.
Alan is regularly instructed to prosecute or defend cases involving allegations of sexual offending, and he has acted in numerous cases of historic allegations of sexual crimes, including cases dating back half a century or more; cases involving allegations made by multiple complainants, cases of joint enterprise sexual offences; familial sexual abuse; cases involving vulnerable witnesses and complex, multi-handed trials involving allegations of sexual abuse and torture.
Alan recently acted as legal advisor on the forthcoming Channel 4 drama dealing with historical sexual abuse, “National Treasure”.
Alan is qualified to accept direct access instructions.
Career
Called 1997; Middle Temple.
Memberships
Criminal Bar Association, Sussex Bar Mess, Kent Bar Mess.
Education
University of Leeds (BA First Class (Hons) History); Leeds Metropolitan University (CPE (Distinction)).
Lawyer Rankings
Regional Bar > South Eastern Circuit > Crime (general and fraud)
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2Alan Gardner KC – 23ES ‘Alan is a master tactician and skillful advocate. He is always thoroughly prepared and hits every point. A masterful trial advocate.’
23ES is ‘a superb set with great strength in depth and a wide choice of proactive counsel’ who handle some of the most complex, high-profile and serious criminal cases. Kate Lumsdon KC is known for her ‘calm, controlled and thoughtful approach’ and successfully represented one of the defendants charged with the murder of a taxi driver, while ‘highly intelligent’ Eloise Marshall KC led the successful prosecution of Lawrence Jones, founder of technology company UKFast, who was convicted of drugging, raping and assaulting several women. Alan Gardner KC is a ‘calm and measured advocate praised for his strategy and questioning’ and successfully prosecuted two men who were convicted of sexual offences committed as part of a grooming gang in the early 2000s. James Bloomer represented a man who was acquitted of the most serious charges and avoided a custodial sentenced after being accused of involvement in the running of a gun factory – the case involved issues of the defendant, who was blind and unable to read braille, being able to participate in a trial with significant amounts of cell site evidence.
London Bar > Crime
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 4Alan Gardner KC – 23ES ‘Alan is supremely intelligent. He is able to dissect the issues in a complex case and articulate them into submissions which are readily understandable to a jury. He has an excellent manner with clients and colleagues alike.’