Adrian Langdale QC
Year of call
1996
Silk
2020
Instructing Adrian Langdale QC
For more information please contact our clerks by calling +44 (0)20 7242 3555.
Adrian Langdale QC is a highly experienced, dynamic and robust advocate who specialises in Criminal work.
Prosecuting and Defending in a vast array of high-profile cases over the years. With expertise and specialism in the areas of Serious Organised Crime, Homicide and Complex Fraud, he is regularly instructed as a leading junior in complex heavyweight criminal matters including; large scale drugs conspiracies, firearms and homicide, as well as defending in cases of complex and international fraud.
Adrian is particularly well regarded for his “dogged” cross examination of expert and lay witnesses alike, with sources admiring his cross-examination technique and his “ability to ferret anything out of people”.
Legal Expertise
Crime
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Crime
Notable Crime cases
R v Joseph Quigley (2020)
Successfully prosecuted Joseph Quigley, who at the time held the position of national education co-ordinator for the Catholic Church (overseeing hundreds of Catholic Schools nationally and carrying out inspections), for historic abuse of a sadistic and sexualised nature carried out against a child parishioner whom he was tutoring.
View case >R v Oliver Brown (2020)
Successful acquittal for a defendant accused of manslaughter after a road traffic collision. He was instructed by David Randall & Maddie Ashton at The Johnson Partnership.
View case >R v Gemma Peat (2019)
Defence Counsel defending a lady charged with burning down Nottingham train station, in a fire which caused £5.6m in damages and widespread disruption on the rail network. Initially charged with Arson with Intent to Endanger Life, following repeated and dogged disclosure applications by Counsel, the Crown were forced to accept a plea to simple Arson. The Court in sentencing the defendant to 25 months, following the defence investigations, were highly critical of Network rail for building work which they had carried out, which had led to the fire spreading.
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R v Graham & Others (Operation Silentpool) (2019)
The leading Counsel for the Crown in the successful prosecution of a large-scale distribution network of drugs and firearms by a highly sophisticated organised crime group based in Derby and London. The OCG were responsible for distributing just short of a tonne of Class A drugs worth in excess of £35m, as well as having a number of firearms, including a loaded Uzi machine pistol and a Walther PPK & silencer and using high-end military encryption devices.
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R v Day & Others (Operation Crew) (2019)
The leading junior for the Crown in the successful prosecution of a large scale 11 handed Class A drugs supply Conspiracy involving Nottinghamshire and Sheffield based organised crime groups who were supplying multi-kilos of Heroin.
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R v Butt & Others (Operation Grubless) (2018-2019)
Prosecuting on behalf of the National Crime Agency in the successful prosecution of a large scale conspiracy to import multi-millions of pounds of heroin which had been secreted into shipments of various items, including boxes of horse dentistry and boxing gloves.
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R v Christopher Scott (2018)
Successful prosecution of a high profile historic serial rapist (known as the ‘bus stop rapist’) from the 1990's, a case which originally featured on the BBC’s Crimewatch and which had re-surfaced as a result of a cold case review of DNA from an original exhibit and then a second victim coming forward following the publicity from the initial trial. The story behind the investigation and Prosecution was made into a documentary for CBS “evidence of evil”.
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R v Turner & Others (2018)
Successful defence and acquittal of the second defendant on a charge of Murder, in a 5 handed murder case involving teenage defendants, with an allegation that the fatal stabbing of the victim occurred following an end of school ‘prom party’. Another of the defendants was eventually convicted of Manslaughter only.
View case >R v Campbell & Others (2018)
Defending the main defendant in a high profile 5 handed murder case, where the victim was said to have been lured to a secluded spot by a teenage girl on behalf of the older male defendants, before being chased and then set upon by a number of the defendants. The case involved a background of inter-gang violence including numerous previous tit for tat stabbings and the use by the gangs of “drill rap” videos to challenge rival gangs.
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R v Csomor & Others (2018)
Lead Counsel for the Crown in a 6 handed prosecution of a family-based gang, who were trafficking females into the UK for the purpose of using them in the sex trade. This case led to the first conviction in the UK for an act of ‘Slavery’ (under the new Act) and also convictions for trafficking into the UK. This case has subsequently been referenced in the Parliamentary Committee investigating Modern Day Slavery.
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R v Zheng (2017)
Successful prosecution of an aunt who killed her baby niece whilst she was babysitting him, involving complex medical evidence to demonstrate injuries consistent with what is called ‘shaken baby syndrome’.
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R v Atherton & Others (2017)
Leading Junior, representing the second defendant on the indictment in a 13 handed Conspiracy to Supply Cocaine, which involved the national distribution of in excess of 800Kg of Cocaine by an organised crime group in Liverpool. Following detailed cross-examination of the Prosecutions telephone evidence, the defendant was one of only two people acquitted by the Jury. Evidence included the gang buying a box at Anfield in cash and one of the defendants being captured by police, whilst on the run, having attended an away match for Liverpool FC in the Champions league, close to his hide out.
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R v Edwards (2017)
Defending a young man charged with a one punch Manslaughter on a night out.
View case >R v Michael Furniss & Others (2014)
Successfully Defending one of the defendants on a contract killing over an alleged drugs debt. Also, a leading authority on what is to be counted as pages of evidence for the purposes of Legal Aid remuneration.
View case >R v Krah & Others (2013)
Defending the lead defendant in a large scale drug conspiracy – where the Judge stopped the trial following application, upon finding that there had been wide-ranging “short comings” in the police investigation.
View case >R v Dejean & Others (2012)
A large scale and multi-handed case, with 17 defendants, arising from the national riots of 2011, involving the targeted petrol bombing of a police station, representing the only defendant acquitted by the jury.
View case >R v B (2012)
Successfully defending Solicitor in large scale multi-handed Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice.
R v Barrett (2011)
Defending the lead defendant in a large-scale drugs conspiracy, involving region wide distribution of Class A drugs by an Organised Crime Gang and the eventual POCA proceedings involving the seizure of a ‘tank’.
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R v Sarpong & Others (2009)
Defending one of the accused in the shooting of Brendan Lawrence.
View case >R v James & Others [2008] EWCA Crim 1869
Successfully representing the first appellant in an historic appeal from the CCRC in relation to breaches of pre PACE standards in the case of a high profile attempted murder of a police officer.
R v Fogo & Others (2006)
A drug related murder by a rival gang; where the key to the case was expert evidence from forensic odontology - tooth/bite mark comparison.
Financial Crime
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Financial Crime
Adrian has been involved in defending in numerous large-scale Frauds and cases involving financial crime, both national and internationally.
Notable Financial Crime cases
R v Ayres & Others (2017)
Representing one of the lead defendants in a large scale multi-million pound international ‘boiler room fraud’.
View case >R v Christopher Watson (2016)
Representing the company accountant accused of defrauding £7.9 million pounds from one of the businessmen on ‘dragons den’.
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R v Wright & Others (2013)
Described as “the country’s largest” “Cash for Crash” frauds, involving a multi-million pound fraud against insurance companies, by the use of fake accidents and exaggerated claims. Representing 1 of only 2 defendants who were acquitted by the jury, out of a total of some 70 defendants, in a series of trials over the course of three years. As a result of the trials a number of the other defendants were later found by the Court of Appeal to have been wrongly convicted and that there had been failures in disclosure by the Prosecution.
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Instructing Adrian Langdale QC
For more information please contact our clerks by calling +44 (0)20 7242 3555.
Frequently asked questions
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