Simon’s practice comprises both business crime and general crime. He has been involved in many fraud and financial crime cases in the UK, both for the prosecution and the defence. He has been instructed as a leading junior. He appears at all court levels including in the Privy Council.
Simon has also worked closely with Bakerplatt and the Attorney General’s department in Jersey where he has been involved in financial crime cases with an international element, again, both prosecuting and defending. Work in offshore financial centres comprises a significant part of Simon’s practice.
His experience in cases involving Proceeds of Crime legislation has seen him instructed in civil disputes where assets are frozen, as well as advising in relation to the enforcement of confiscation orders overseas.
In his general crime practice Simon has been involved as a junior on the most serious cases such as murders, gross negligence manslaughters and serious sexual offences. His Crown Court practice encompasses the whole range of serious crime. Simon is a Grade 3 prosecutor on both the Midland and South Eastern Circuit.
As well as cases brought by the CPS and the SFO, Simon has been instructed in cases brought by other agencies such as the Maritime Coastguard Agency, the RSPCA, the Environment Agency and the Health and Safety Executive. He also acts for the Metropolitan Police in civil applications for such orders as Football Banning Orders, Sexual Offences Prevention Orders and Cash Seizures under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Key recent cases
- R v. Doyle: defence junior representing senior partner of an accountancy firm charged with stealing millions of pounds worth of client funds
- AG v. Blatchly and Adams: instructed for the defence in alleged £2.5m VAT fraud in the Isle of Man - prosecuted in Jersey. The case was dropped when the defence demonstrated, through forensic computer evidence, that a principal prosecution witness had forged key documents
- R v. Sturnham: prosecution junior in case of "single punch" manslaughter
- Re C Trust: instructed on behalf of trustees to obtain the release of trust funds effectively frozen in Jersey pursuant to the Proceeds of Crime legislation. The release of those funds was obtained
- Environment Agency v. CW Ltd.: represented defendant company in prosecution alleging breach of regulations governing the export of recyclable waste
- R v. Hall; R v. Morris: defence brief in two separate and substantial money-laundering cases
- R v. F: represented defendant charged with arson in a case involving issues under s37 and s41 of the Mental Health Act 1983
- Police v. MM: acted for Metropolitan Police in civil application for a Sexual Offences Prevention Order under the Sexual Offences Act 2003
Contact Simon Thomas
Phone: +44 (0) 20 7242 3555
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7242 2511
Email: clerks@7br.co.uk