Back to rankings
Philip Astbury

Philip Astbury

More information
7 Harrington Street

7 Harrington Street

England - Regional Bar • Northern Circuit

2

Crime (general and fraud)

At 7 Harrington Street, members have established expertise in handling the full range of criminal law matters. Nicholas Johnson KC prosecuted in the Lucy Letby case at trial and on appeal. Nigel Power KC, ‘a very strong advocate who will fight his client’s case as hard as it can be fought’ with ’a prodigious work ethic’, acted as defence counsel for one of the defendants in a case involving multi-handed voice over internet protocol minutes MTIC fraud. Jonathan Duffy acted for one defendant charged in a case concerning multi-handed people trafficking, and Philip Astbury was junior counsel for the prosecution in the case regarding the stabbing attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, in which three children were killed - the defendant, who was seventeen at the time of the offence and entered a guilty plea, received a minimum term of 52 years.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Phone
0151 242 0707
Email
[email protected]
Profile
7hs.co.uk

Profile

Career

Call 1999

Memberships

Criminal Bar Association
Areas of Practice
Crime
Philip is frequently instructed in multi-handed conspiracies involving serious organised crime. He has experience being led, and appearing as a leading junior.

He is a level 4 prosecutor and is included within the CPS rape panel. He often defends and prosecutes rapes and serious sexual allegations in the Crown Court, and has been instructed to defend in a number of historic institutional abuse cases across the country.

Recent cases
Operation Mainframe (2018): Defending conspiracy to supply controlled drugs between the North West of England and Scotland.

Operation Manhattan (2018): Defending conspiracy to distribute Class A drugs across the UK.

Operation Portrayne (2018): Prosecuted a conspiracy to supply cocaine between Organised Crime Groups in Liverpool and Glasgow. Associated prosecution of those who laundered the substantial cash proceeds via the “Hawala” banking system.

Operation Milden (2017): Prosecuted the importation of controlled drugs from Spain into the UK, via France and the Channel Tunnel.

R v Daniels Waste Management (2017): Defended environmental offences involving the export of dangerous pollutants to West Africa, featured in a BBC Panorama investigation.

Operation Waterscape (2016): Prosecuted a series of shootings across the region together with drug trafficking offences which lay behind the conflict.

Operation Camaro (2015): Defended allegations of the supply of automatic firearms between organised crime groups.

Operation Airdrie (2015): Defended a conspiracy to manufacture adulterants for use in the illicit drug trade on an industrial scale.

Operation Firethorn (2012, 2013 and 2014): Prosecuted a series of sophisticated conspiracies to counterfeit currency, creating over £750,000 in forged £20 notes which entered the UK economy.

R v Ash (2013): Defended a conspiracy to possess explosives involving a significant quantity of antitank
landmines stolen from the MOD.

Legal Directory Recommendations
“Highly experienced in fraud and complex criminal casework”. – Legal 500 2009
Background
Philip Astbury practises exclusively in criminal law.

Combative and persuasive in equal measure, Philip is instructed across the entire spectrum of criminal work by both defence and prosecution.

Content supplied by 7 Harrington Street

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Philip can remain calm under extreme pressure, which is impressive and vital in managing the case to a successful outcome.'