About

Andrew is a lawyer with over 30 years’ advocacy experience in tribunals and criminal courts — added to ten years’ prior work in the Criminal Justice system. He knows the system from every angle, and knows it well.

Andrew believes that ultimately the best advocates are the best communicators. His job is to listen to you, prepare your case properly, and then convey its best aspects in a way that persuades the Court.

A down-to-earth, ‘people person’, Andrew will speak openly and plainly with you about your case, and make sure you understand every step in the court procedure. He combines professionalism with accessibility, and his record of excellent results speaks for itself.

Andrew cannot guarantee the outcome of your case, but he can assure you of highest quality preparation and advocacy, to ensure the best outcome possible.

Notable and some recent cases

Privately instructed matters (Direct Access)

August 2023. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Offence of no insurance. The issue in this case was whether there existed an argument for ‘Special Reasons’ not to disqualify. The legal argument relied on a person in a position of authority being responsible for organising the insurance. The factual matter was what was said by the suspect when questioned by the police officer. Access was gained to the recording of the body warn camera of the police officer. The recording revealed what was said at the time of the incident. A considerable amount of time and money was saved by making proper enquiries before the hearing took place.

January 2023. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. An offence of drink-drive, where the blood alcohol level exceeded the legal limit by such an amount, that the Sentencing Guidelines indicated custody. The matter was dealt with my a Deputy District Judge. I witnessed an interesting development by the Probation Service. My client was interviewed, while at court, over the telephone by a Probation Officer. The Probation Officer then produced a written report for the court, within an hour. This development allowed the sentencing to proceed, on the same day as the guilty plea, without the need for an adjournment. An adjournment would have increased the stress of waiting to be sentenced and would have involved extra cost to my client. I am pleased to add that the report was excellent, despite being taken over the telephone.

Sep 2022. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Driving while using a mobile phone. ( The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2022; which came into force on 25th March 2022. Legislation following the case of R v Barreto 2019.

May 2022. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Drink drive matter.

January 2022. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Drink drive offence.

November 2021. Swindon Magistrates’ Court. Speeding in excess of 100 mph. Avoidance of disqualification.

August 2021. Staines Magistrates’ Court. Exception Hardship argument advanced.

June 2021. Staines Magistrates’ Court. Speeding x 3. ‘Exceptional Hardship’ argument advanced successfully, despite 19 penalty points.

April 2021. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Drug driving. Not guilty plea. Trial preparation.

March 2021. Staines Magistrates’ Court. ‘Exceptional Hardship’ argument.

February 2021.Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Drink driving; ‘special reasons’ to avoid disqualification.

February 2021. Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court. drug driving offence. Issue over the amount of drug and Sentencing Guidelines.

November 2020. Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court, speed; ‘totting up’. Citing to the case of Jones v DPP. Section 34, 1988 Offenders Act.

November 2020. Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court, speed; ‘totting up’. Administrative application to re-open case.

November 2020. Willesden Magistrates’ Court, speed, ‘totting-up’. Administrative application to transfer case to Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court.

November 2020. Staines Magistrates’ Court, drug/driving allegation.

March 2020. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, speeding, totting up.

February 2020. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, speeding, totting up.

September 2019. Aldershot Magistrates’ Court, speeding; totting; exceptional hardship.

September 2019. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, drink drive.

July 2019. Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court. Speeding and no insurance. Disqualification avoided, despite 17 penalty points on the driving licence.

June 2019. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, speeding; totting.

June 2019. Staines Magistrates’ Court, drink drive offence.

May 2019. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, drink drive offence.

April 2019. Stains Magistrates’ Court, drink drive offence.

April 2019. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, drink drive offence.

April 2019. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, drink drive and assaulting a police constable.

March 2019. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, drink drive offence.

March 2019. Staines Magistrates’ Court, drink drive trial.

March 2019. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, drink drive offence.

December 2018. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, drink drive offence.

December 2018. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, speeding; totting and an ‘exceptional argument’ case.

December 2018. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, drink drive offence.

November 2018. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, no insurance and an ‘exceptional hardship’ argument.

November 2018. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, drink drive offence.

October 2018. Bexley Magistrates’ Court for an offence of driving without due care and attention.

September 2018. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, drink drive offence.

June 2018. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, totting and an ‘exceptional hardship’ argument.

May 2018. Guildford Crown Court, Application to discharge an order under the Child and Young Persons Act.

April 2018. Guildford Magistrates’ Court,

February 2018. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, drink drive offence and assault.

January 2018. Crawley Magistrates’ Court, drink drive offence. Drunk in charge.

December 2017. Guildford Magistrates’ Court, drink drive offence.

November 2017. Drink drive offence, Guildford Magistrates’ Court.

October 2017. Lewes Crown Court. Appeal against revocation of a shotgun certificate.

October 2017. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Common Assault charge, which was resolved one the same day with a fine.

September 2017. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Drink Drive offence.

September 2017. Worthing Magistrates’ Court. Sentence for stalking and a shotgun certificate offence.

September 2017. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Failing to furnish details of a driver, contrary to section 172 Road Traffic Act and penalty points disqualification. Special Reasons argument advanced successfully.

August 2017. Worthing Magistrates’ Court. Stalking and failing to comply with conditions of a shotgun certificate.

July 2017. Banbury Magistrates’ Court. Penalty point disqualification. Exceptional hardship argument successfully advanced.

March 2017. Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court. Penalty point disqualification. Exceptional hardship argument advanced.

October 2016. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Reopen a case and set aside the conviction.

August 2016. Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court. Assault charge.

August 2016. Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court. Drink/drive matter.

June 2016. Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court. Class ‘A’ drug allegation.

February 2016. Guildford Crown Court. Sentence; assault.

January 2016. Staines Magistrates Court. Drink/drive matter and assault charge.

January. Guildford Crown Court. Assault.

November 2015. Central Criminal Court. Fraud.

October 2015. City of London Magistrates’ Court. Fraud.

September 2015. Redhill Magistrates’ Court. Trial; drink/drive offence.

September 2015. High Court of Justice. Winding Up Order.

September 2015. Basildon Crown Court. Restraint Order.

September 2015. Staines Magistrates’ Court. Speeding offence.

August 2015. Southwark Crown Court. Historic sexual allegation.

July 2016. Westminster Magistrates’ Court. Historic sexual allegation.

June 2015. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Drink/drive matter. Special reasons argument successfully advanced.

June 2015. Worthing Magistrates’ Court. Drink/drive matter.

May 2015. Worthing Magistrates’ Court. Drink/drive matter.

April 2015. Staines Magistrates’ Court. Dangerous driving.

April 2015. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Drink/drive matter.

March 2015. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Assault allegation.

October 2014. Peterborough Magistrates’ Court. Speeding and penalty point disqualification.

October 2014. Camberwell Magistrates’ Court. Drink/drive matter.

September 2014. Bromley Magistrates’ Court. Due care and attention and no insurance.

September 2014. Hammersmith Magistrates’ Court. Private Hire matter.

September 2014. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Dangerous driving allegation.

September 2014. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Dangerous driving matter.

July 2014. Guildford Crown Court. Appeal against conviction.

June 2014. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Trial.

May 2016. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Assault trial.

April 2014. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Dangerous driving matter.

March 2014. Staines Magistrates’ Court. Trial; assault allegation.

January 2014. Aldershot Magistrates’ Court. Drink/drive offence.

November 2013. Slough Magistrates Court. Drink/drive matter.

August 2013. West London Magistrates’ Court. Indecency offences.

June 2013. Redhill Magistrates’ Court. Common assault charge.

June 2013. Aldershot Magistrates’ Court. Drink/drive matter.

May 2013. Redhill Magistrates’ Court. Trial of driving without due care and attention and failing to stop after an accident.

April 2013. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Speeding offence; representation avoiding disqualification.

April 2013. Redhill Magistrates’ Court. Represented a probationer driver for offences of failing to stop and failing to report an accident.

January 2013. Staines Magistrates’ Court. A drink driving offence.

November 2012. Aldershot Magistrates’ Court. Representation of a probationer driver charged with failing to stop and failing to report an accident.

November 2012. Maidenhead Magistrates’ Court. For an offence of failing to provide a specimen of breath.

October 2012. Staines Magistrates’ Court. Represented a driver charged with traffic document fraud.

September 2012. Maidstone Magistrates’ Court; for an offence of speeding (65 in a 50), my client, a local businessman, avoided disqualification as a ‘totter’ after I advanced an argument that he would suffer ‘exceptional hardship’.

September 2012. Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court. Drink driving matter.

September 2012. Redhill Magistrates’ Court. Plea of guilty and exceptional hardship argument advanced.

July 2012. Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court. For an offence of speeding for a Premier League footballer.

June 2012. Telford Magistrates’ Court. For an offence of speeding (96 in a 70). Despite my client, a Premier League footballer, having 15 penalty points, he avoided disqualification after I advanced an argument that he would suffer ‘exceptional hardship’.

June 2012. Stafford Magistrates’ Court. For an offence of speeding (120 in the 70). Represented a Championship League footballer.

April 2012. Leamington Spa Magistrates’ Court. For an offence of speeding (91 in a 50).

April 2012; Plymouth Magistrates’ Court. Drafted plea in mitigation for an offence of speeding (97 in a 70).

March 2012. Staines Magistrates’ Court; CPS v T; at trial, successfully defended my client who was charged with being 4 times over the drink/driving limit.

March 2012. Liverpool Magistrates’ Court. For an offence of passing a red light and speeding (52 in a 30); my client, a premier league footballer, received three penalty points and a fine.

April 2012. Norwich Crown Court; successfully appealed the length of a driving disqualification for a Premier League football.

February 2012. Advised a Premier League football player on penalty points disqualification.

January 2012. Guildford police area. Advised a client charged with drink driving and successfully persuaded the police not to pursue the allegation.

November 2011. Chelmsford Crown Court. Successfully overturned a driving disqualification and obtained an order to pay the costs of my client.

June 2011. Birmingham police area. Advised a Premier League footballer regarding an offence of using a motor vehicle with windows tinted above the prescribed level.

November 2011. Hendon Magistrates’ Court. Advanced an exceptional hardship argument for a football league player (speeding: 88 in a 50).

June 2011. Hereford Magistrates’ Court. Represented the interests of a Premier League footballer charged under section 172 Road Traffic Act 1988 (failing to provide details of the driver).

January 2011. Richmond Magistrates’ Court. The exceptional hardship argument advanced.

Regulation/Compliance

April 2021. NMC v H. Represented the NMC at an Interim Order Review. Virtual attendance at a hearing in Stratford, London.

April 2021. NMC v M. Represented the NMC at an Interim Order Review. Virtual attendance at a hearing in Stratford, London.

April 2021. NMC v D. Represented the NMC at an Interim Order Review. Virtual attendance at a hearing in Stratford, London.

April 2021. NMC v H. Represented the NMC at an Interim Order Review. Virtual attendance at a hearing in Stratford, London.

March 2021. NMC v P. Represented the NMC at this tribunal. Virtual attendance at a hearing in Stratford, London.

February 2021. Trained in the law and procedure relating to the Nursing and Midwifery Council representations.

General medical Council
GMC v Dr A

R v S (2012)
Crown Court prosecution under The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Re. C (2010)
Consumer Credit Act 1974.

R v D (2009)
Trial relating to the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

R v K. Breach of planning legislation. The Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

R v G & R
Trading Standards allegation.

NCC
Challenging a seizure of goods by Revenue and Customs.

Office of Fair Trading v J
February 2013: represented the client during an investigation under the Enterprise Act 2002.

Murder
R v P (1997)
Andrew was sole counsel in this case of attempted murder heard at the Central Criminal Court.

R v D (2003)
Murder case heard at the Central Criminal Court.

R v B (2006)
Murder case at Reading Crown Court.

R v G (2006)
Sole counsel in an attempted murder trial. Inner London Crown Court.

R v B (2006)
Murder trial lasting over two months. Central Criminal Court.

R v H (2006)
Murder trial lasting five weeks. Central Criminal Court.

R v M (2007)
Murder trial. Central Criminal Court /Snaresbrook Crown Court.

R v M (2008)
Murder trial at the Central Criminal Court.

R v C (2009)
Attempted murder trial at the Central Criminal Court.

R v C (2009)
Murder trial at the Central Criminal Court.

General Crime
2015. R v M. Sexual allegation against a well known celebrity.

July 2012. Woolwich Crown Court. Allegation of fraud.

March 2012. Newcastle Magistrates’ Court. Serious allegation of assault.

8 May, 2012. St Albans Magistrates’ Court. Serious allegation of assault.

March 2013. Barkingside Magistrates’ Court. For racially aggravated public order offence.

March 2013. Isleworth Crown Court. Represented a client alleged to have committed a substantial fraud.

February 2013. Feltham Magistrates’ Court. Represented two clients for fraud.

R v B (2009). Snaresbrook Crown Court. Widely reported allegation of supply of drugs to celebrities.

R v A (2008)
Leading counsel in a £200million drugs importation. Wood Green Crown Court.

R v A (2005)
Leading Counsel in an allegation of conspiracy to kidnap, imprison and rape.

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) 2005

Widely reported case involving the quashing of a conviction due to the conduct of the trial judge at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

R v B (1999)
Importation of cocaine. This was one of the largest seizures of drugs and money at the time. Heard at the Central Criminal Court and Woolwich Crown Court.

R v C (1996)
Leading counsel in an international, multi-defendant drugs importation case heard at Southampton Crown Court.

Serious Sexual Offences
The number of rapes and serious sexual assaults cases he has appeared in are too numerous to mention.

R v B (1994) when he was successful as the sole counsel at the Central Criminal Court. More recently he appeared in R v I (2010), in breaking new law by harnessing expert evidence, he was successfully in this post R v B child sex case.

Criminal/Civil Fraud
Andrew has long and extensive experience in all forms of fraud. He has collaborated with Mishcon de Reya on two major civil frauds in development of his unique casechart system of presentation. He has also assisted Dass & Co. Solicitors on two large MTIC frauds.

R v P (2006)
$5 million multi-national conspiracy to defraud. Andrew was sole counsel in this re-insurance fraud.

R v M (2010-2011)
Instructed to represent the main defendant in a joint Organised Crime Division of the CPS and the Serious Organised Crime Agency prosecution of conspiracy to launder the proceeds of 50 million Euros.

R v G (2010-2011)
Successfully defended in an SFO prosecution of the widely publicised Beijing Games Fraud.

International law

Andrew has been admitted to the list of Defence Counsel for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon at The Hague, Netherlands. The Tribunal was established pursuant to a Security Council Resolution to try terrorist crimes committed in the Lebanon.

Military Law

Andrew has represented many members of the Armed Forces in Courts Martial in this country and abroad. His practical knowledge of the military derive from his own military service.

2005. Instructed to represent a British soldier in alleged war crimes in Iraq.

Court Skills Trainer, Events and Courses

23 June 2022. Surrey Police Headquarters, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the Detective Training Course.

10 May 2022. Sussex Police. Court Skills training to forensic and fingerprint staff.

6 May 2022. Surrey and Sussex joint course on Interviewing Skills ‘Masterclass’ for senior detectives.

2 July 2021. Surrey Police Headquarters, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the Detective Training Course.

1 July 2021. Surrey Police Headquarters, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to Surrey and Sussex Police Forensic Staff and expert witnesses.

29 June 2021. Surrey Police Headquarters, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to Surrey and Sussex Police Forensic Staff and expert witnesses.

28 June 2021. Surrey Police Headquarters, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to Surrey and Sussex Police Forensic Staff and expert witnesses.

11 March 2020. Surrey Police Headquarters, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the Detective Training Course.

17 Dec 2018. Surrey Police, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the Detective Training Course.

4 May 2018. Imber Court, East Molesey. Disclosure Training to Surrey Police Officers.

3 May 2018. March 2016. Surrey Police, Guildford. Disclosure Training to Surrey Police Officers.

5 Jul 2016. Surrey Police, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the Detective Training Course.

4 Jul 2016. Surrey Police, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the Detective Training Course.

16 March 2016. Surrey Police, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the police intelligence staff.

15 March 2016. Surrey Police, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the police intelligence staff.

22 Feb 2016. Surrey Police, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the Detective Training Course.

23 Feb 2015. Surrey Police, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the Detective Training Course.

22 Jun 2015. Surrey Police, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the Detective Training Course.

23 Feb 2015. Surrey Police, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the Detective Training Course.

30 Sep 2014. Surrey Police Headquarters, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the Detective Training Course.

3 Jul 2014. Guildford Magistrates’ Court. Domestic Violence Training to Surrey Police Staff.

5 Jun 2014. Surrey Police Headquarters, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the Detective Training Course.

4 June 2014. Surrey Police Headquarters, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the Detective Training Course.

18 Nov 2013. Surrey Police Headquarters, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the Detective Training Course.

5 Aug 2013. Surrey Police Headquarters, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the Detective Training Course.

30 Jul 2013. Surrey Police Headquarters, Guildford. Court Presentation Skills training to the Detective Training Course.

Diversity and Equality

Chambers adheres to the Equality & Diversity Code published by the General Council of the Bar.

Chambers is committed to ensuring that no form of discrimination is practised.

Chambers is committed to ensure that clients shall receive equality of treatment irrespective of race, colour, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, religious or political persuasion.

Chambers will not tolerate any form of harassment.

Chambers has a Modern Slavery Policy, which is available on request.

Chambers have a Data Policy Document, which is available on request.

No diversity data is available for Chambers due to its structure and membership.