Serious Crime

Furnival Chambers’ members regularly appear in high-profile criminal cases, acting for both the Defence and the Prosecution.

By way of example, members appeared in:

• The Millennium Dome conspiracy
• The Mardi-Gras bombing conspiracy
• The prosecution of Princess Diana’s butler
• The murder of DC Stephen Oake
• The murder of PC Sharon Beshenivsky
• Deep Cut
• R v Mohammed Dica
• The Tonbridge robbery
• The prosecution of senior judiciary
• The prosecution of the Prime Minister of Mauritius
• The murder of Toni-Ann Byfield
• Significant death row appeals
• High-profile Official Secrets Act trials

Furnival Chambers have been instructed in some of the largest and most complex terrorism cases in recent times; such as:

• The Fertiliser Bomb plot
• The series of ‘21/7’ bombing cases
• The Ricin conspiracy
• Almost every other major terrorist case awaiting trial

Members regularly appear in the Privy Council, House of Lords, Court of Appeal and Divisional Court. Prosecution work includes work undertaken by Senior Treasury Counsel at the Central Criminal Court.

Many members undertake high profile work on behalf of:

• The Assets Recovery Agency
• H.M. Revenue and Customs
• The Department of Trade & Industry
• The Serious Fraud Office
• The Department of Works & Pensions
• The Crown Prosecution Service

Chambers also act on behalf of respondents in cases involving these authorities.

Members regularly conduct cases in the Commonwealth and especially in Caribbean jurisdictions.

Chambers & Partners (2008) says

“…Furnival Chambers is a set that homes in on asset forfeiture and confiscation, extradition and terrorism matters. It also has a strong general criminal capability and numbers within its ranks the “frighteningly clever” Oliver Blunt QC. He is “a magnetic presence in court” who has defended a series of murders in the past year and also acted in the trial of the 21/7 London bombing attempts. Others at the set who have handled high-profile cases include Richard Whittam and Mark Summers who appeared against each other in a terrorist trial relating to a plot to place bombs on US-bound aircraft out of Heathrow. Both are “stunning additions to any team - they have pep and industry to spare…”

“…One of the brightest stars on the North Eastern circuit is Robert Smith QC. With a practice largely centred around prosecution, he is appreciated by solicitors for his “tidy courtroom manner” and because he is “well liked by judges.” Testament to his standing, he was chosen to prosecute the murderers of PC Sharon Beshenivsky. “One of the best for health and safety in the North,” Robert Smith QC…is “sensible and technically astute.” He acts on a mix of civil, criminal and regulatory matters, proving expert on health and safety, complex scientific and human rights issues…”

Andrew Mitchell QC, Sally O’Neil QC and Stephen Leslie QC are all also recommended in Chambers & Partners 2008 as leading Silks in crime

Jon Swain, Martin Evans and Giles Cockings are all also recommended in Chambers & Partners 2008 as leading juniors in crime

Legal 500 (2008/2009) says

"...Furnival Chambers is particularly known for its asset forfeiture and confiscation work, although is strong across criminal law. Best known is ‘ criminal confiscation specialist’ Andrew Mitchell QC. Oliver Blunt QC is ‘ enormously in demand’. In 2007 he was involved in R v Butt, an eight-handed double murder, and R v Sherif, relating to the attempted 21/7 London bombings. Mark Summers is also recommended..."

"...Robert Smith QC maintains his high profile...Martin Edmunds QC has wide experience of heavy crime and fraud..."

Contact

The Serious Crime clerking team is led by John Gutteridge, Stephen Ball and Joel Mason