Victoria Ailes > Chambers of Simon Denison KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

Victoria Ailes

020 3301 0910 victoria.ailes@6kbw.com View profile

Position

Victoria acts in criminal, public law and human rights matters. Her practice has a strong international dimension.

Inquests and Public Inquiries

Victoria regularly appears in inquests, including those in which Article 2 is engaged. In the Inquests into the deaths in the terror attacks on London Bridge in 2017, she acted (with Gareth Patterson QC) for the families of six of those killed. She also represents those at risk of criticism.

Victoria has worked on public inquiries, most recently as junior counsel to the Undercover Policing Inquiry.

Public and Administrative Law

Victoria enjoys dealing with issues of public and administrative law and has represented both individuals and public authorities in judicial review proceedings. Victoria has a deep knowledge of human rights principles and case law which she applies to all areas of her practice. She has been instructed by the Government of the United Kingdom in a number of cases before the European Court of Human Rights, including Al Khawaja and Tahery v United Kingdom [2011] 54 EHRR 23 and subsequent cases.

Crime

Victoria is an experienced trial advocate. Her recent work has focused on offences of fraud, corruption and money laundering. She has prosecuted and defended companies accused of criminal offences, and provides strategic advice to corporate clients at all stages from investigation to trial.

Proceeds of Crime

Victoria has been instructed in cases of money laundering and advises on all aspects of confiscation and asset forfeiture. She appears in asset recovery proceedings at all stages from restraint to enforcement. Victoria’s publications in this area include:  External Requests for Restraint Orders: King v Director of the Serious Fraud Office, Proceeds of Crime Review 3 (2009) (with David Perry QC) and Proceeds of Crime and the European Convention on Human Rights, Proceeds of Crime Review 4 (2010) (with David Perry QC).

 Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance

Victoria provides advocacy and advice in extradition and mutual legal assistance matters, and has experience of cases under both Part 1 and Part 2 of the Extradition Act 2003. She is currently instructed, with Louis Mably QC, in an appeal to the Supreme Court against the decision in Jane v Westminster Magistrates Court [2019] EWHC 394.

Victoria has worked with government officials across the common law world to revise the “Harare Scheme” for mutual legal assistance within the Commonwealth and been involved in training and developing prosecutors in these areas, particularly in Eastern and Southern Africa. Victoria contributed Part III (Mutual Legal Assistance) to the Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance Handbook (Oxford University Press).

Media and Information Law

Victoria advises national newspapers on defamation, contempt and privacy issues.

International

Victoria has acted in an advisory capacity for and against a number of foreign governments and prosecution agencies, most frequently in relation to corruption allegations, and has represented individuals facing criminal charges before courts in other jurisdictions.

Victoria was junior counsel for the Appellant in Director of Public Prosecutions of Mauritius v Jugnauth [2019] UKPC 8, an appeal concerning the prosecution of the Prime Minister of Mauritius on corruption charges.

Career

• Serious Fraud Office Panel of Counsel (List B)
• Crown Prosecution Service Prosecutor (Grade 2)
• Attorney General’s Panel for Civil Litigation (List B)

Education

• Oxford University (BA Mathematics and Philosophy);
• CPE/Diploma in Law;
• Haldane, Denning and Hubert Greenland Scholarships (Lincoln’s Inn)