The lead conspirator in a substantial drugs case, prosecuted by Robin Shellard leading Charles Drinnan of 2 Harcourt Buildings, was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court to 18 years and 6 months’ imprisonment on the 24th July 2023. The case concerned the use of sophisticated ‘spoofing’ telephone technology in an attempt to conceal a wholesale commercial drug dealing enterprise involving large quantities of high-purity cocaine, multi kilos of cannabis and large amounts of cash. Following a 4-week trial that included evidence from the leading expert on this complex technology, the lead defendant was unanimously convicted. Two co-conspirators had earlier pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and another was convicted after trial.
R v Liang and Farooka (2023). Leading prosecution Counsel in a £7.5 million fraud involving a company Director of a Chinese takeaway laundering millions of pounds through casinos and injecting them into the business to artificially inflate the company’s profits in order to secure a £7.5 million pound loan from a venture capital firm. The company’s Financial Controller was convicted of an associated VAT fraud following a three week trial.
R v Schofield (2023). Robin Shellard successfully prosecuted Timothy Schofield, the brother of TV presenter Philip Schofield, who was charged with a number of sexual offences against a child. After a trial at Exeter Crown Court before Mrs Justice Cutts he was convicted on all counts by a jury. In May 2023 Timothy Schofield was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
R v Rahman and others (2022). Six defendants carried out a two-year courier fraud posing as police officers. They set up a call centre and telephoned hundreds of pensioners over the country, convincing them that they had been subject to fraud and convincing them to withdraw large amounts of money and had the money over to bogus police officers.
https://www.glosnews.com/articles/four-islington-men-remanded-as-bogus-cop-courier-scam-investigations-continue
R v Al Rawe and others (2022). Leading prosecuting counsel in five-defendant ‘boiler room’ investment fraud targeting investors in London property. Three Defendants convicted after five week trial.
R v Venna and others (2022). Prosecuted thirteen-defendant conspiracy to supply kilo amounts of cocaine and one of the largest. Cocaine was brought in from London and then sold on to local wholesale distributers. One of the largest drug prosecutions in the southwest.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-56863828
R v G and G (2021). Leading prosecuting counsel of mother and father charged with causing grievous bodily harm to week 6-week-old twin babies. Serious brain injury and broken bones to one child and broken bones to other baby. Case concerned numerous experts in various paediatric disciplines covering ophthalmology and paediatric radiology
R v Benyon and others (2021). Prosecuted seven defendant conspiracy to burgle dwellings and commercial premises over a 9-month period where the gang targeted homes to steal jewellery and watches and the keys to cars which were then used in burglaries on auction houses and jewellers. 42 premises were targeted across the country and items valued at over £500k were taken.
https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2021-12-09/callous-gang-of-burglars-jailed-for-almost-40-years
R v Andy Akokye (2020). Robin Shellard was Junior Counsel in the prosecution of the rapper Andy Akokye, also known as Solo 45, who was convicted after a 3 month trial March 2020 of multiple counts of rape and violence committed against 4 women with whom he was in a relationship. On the 30th July he was sentenced to a 24 year custody with extended sentence.
Operation Nicosia (2020). Robin Shellard as leading counsel secured convictions against a gang of armed robbers following guilty verdicts at the end of a 4-week trial. The gang targeted taxi drivers, supermarkets and betting shops. The case involved the presentation of complex phone evidence alongside identification and DNA evidence.
R v Smith and others (2019). Secured convictions against a gang of five burglars who committed over 50 offences of both dwelling house burglaries and ATM cash point ram raids throughout East Anglia during 2018. In a crime spree investigated by the Flying Squad the gang burgled houses to obtain keys to high powered cars which were then stolen to be used as get away vehicles. The gang would then steal farm machinery and trucks to use in the ram raids. They were sentenced on the 27th September at Isleworth Crown Court and received periods of imprisonment of up to 14 years.
