Paul Hodgkinson

Call 2002

hodgkinson@exchangechambers.co.uk

"Paul is both highly experienced and a very able advocate. He has a particularly good manner in dealing with lay clients and is able to explain often complex legal issues  clearly. He is also an extremely personable character which means that he can readily engage with a jury at trial."

The Legal 500 2024
Photo of Paul Hodgkinson

Criminal

With over 25 years of experience, Paul is known for his direct, robust and no-nonsense approach in both his defence and prosecution practice. Renowned for his fearlessness, he can find a route through the most intricate and complex legal issues.

His practice involves the most serious and complex criminal cases including murder, fraud, large-scale conspiracies and serious sexual offending.

He qualified as a solicitor in 1997, transferring to the Bar in 2002 where he specialises in serious crime, fraud, regulatory and coronial work. His confident and considered approach has enabled him to develop an enviable criminal practice.

Over time, Paul has developed his practice and defended some of the most high profile, serious and complex cases on circuit. He is a Category 4 Prosecutor.

Paul’s regulatory practice continues to grow. He is frequently involved in defending Health and Safety Executive prosecutions and has experience of defending Care Home owners in alleged abuse and neglect cases.

His inquest work also goes from strength to strength as he regularly appears in Article 2 cases involving deaths in custody or care.

He is a registered lawyer with the Football Association and provides training and advice on criminal law to young premier league club players.

Paul is recognised as a Tier 1 advocate in the Legal 500 and has been included in the guide each year since 2010.

Paul was appointed as a Recorder in 2019.

Criminal Cases

R v Thoung Ha and Ors (2021) – The defendant was part of a group of 16 other defendants who were responsible for facilitating the trafficking of Vietnamese nationals into the UK to work in large-scale sophisticated Cannabis farms.

R V Marcus Wilhelm (2020) – Mr Hodgkinson defended in a case involving the supply of firearms to a notorious Manchester gang. Following the trial the defendant was found not guilty.

R v Sengan Trinn and Ors (2020) – The defendant was charged along with 4 others with Conspiracy to supply firearms and Class A drugs. Mr Hodgkinson’s client was one of only two defendants found not guilty following a five week trial.

R v Thomas Stewart and Ors (2020) – Acted on behalf of the defence. The defendants planned and carried out a series of violent home invasion robberies involving the theft of expensive jewellery and high performance motor vehicles.

R v Kai Kennedy (2019) – The defendant was charged along with 5 others with Conspiracy to rob a Porche Carrera GT (worth over £750,000). The robbery involved the use of handguns and involved the owner being tied up and tortured.

R v Catherine Agbaje and Ors (2019)This was an offence involving serious violence whereby one victim was stabbed during a neighbour dispute. The defendant Mr Hodgkinson represented was a serving prison officer and was found not guilty.

R v B. (2019) – The defendant was charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent (originally charged as attempted murder). It was alleged that Mr B poured an accelerant over the complainant and set him on fire, causing catastrophic injuries Following trial Mr Hodgkinson’s client was found not guilty.

Operation Electron (2019) – Mr Hodgkinson acted as leading Junior defending in a 7 handed duty and excise fraud. The case was large and complex, involving a number of companies from within the petrochemical industry. The trial lasted 7 months. Mr Hodgkinson’s client was one of only 2 defendants found not guilty.

R v Graydon (2018) – A case involving a number of armed robberies of Hotels and Public houses around the North West.

Operation Land (2018) – Prosecuted a 17 handed “County Lines” drug conspiracy involving the supply of Heroin and Cocaine around the North West.

Operation Zeus (2018) –  Defended in a large scale 21 handed “county Lines” drugs conspiracy involving the supply of Heroin and Cocaine around the North West.

Operation Confection (2018) – Defended in a multi handed, multi million pound case involving the importation of £220,000,000 worth of Heroin into the UK from Turkey. Mr Hodgkinson’s client was the only one to be found not guilty.

Operation Prestige (2018) – A large scale fraud with over 20 defendants. The case involved the establishment of “fake” schools to cheat the UK tax and revenue system.

R v H (2018) – Successful prosecution on behalf of the Specialist Fraud Division.

Operation Cosmetic (2018) – A 2 month multi handed drugs conspiracy trial involving the importation of large amounts of Cocaine into the UK and the setting up of an Amphetamine factory.

Operation Uzana (2017) – A multi handed large scale care home fraud. The trial lasted 12 months and had over 300,000 pages of evidence. The value of this fraud was put at over £20,000,000.

R v Frame (2017)  Fraud, The case involved the defendant locating victims on dating Apps. These frauds involved numerous victims and were perpetrated over a lengthy period of time.

R v Murphy (2017) – Conspiracy to kidnapp.

R v Edwards (2017) – A lengthy and sophisticated fraud which lasted for many years. The victim of the fraud was a large and well known UK based Petrochemical and Gas company.

R v Liam Duffy (2017) – Defence of a prisoner serving a sentence for an offence of manslaughter. The defendant was alleged to have orchestrated a drug trafficking operation from inside prison, involving over £4,000,000 worth of Heroin being transported from Liverpool to Norwich.

R v Jack Touhy (2017) – Defence of a professional footballer charged with multiple counts of sexual assault upon and grooming of a 14-year-old girl. The defendant was acquitted after trial.

R v Glynn Williams (2017) – Defence of a man charged with the murder of a female in the Cheetham Hill area of Manchester.

R v Fyaz Mohammed (2017) – Prosecution of defendant in relation to an allegation of attempted murder. The case was unusual in that the defendant had a history of attacking takeaway workers, raising complex issues regarding bad character and mental health. The defendant was convicted.

Operation Damson/Plymouth (2016) – Defence of a man charged with being part of a multi handed conspiracy involving the supply of illegal firearms and drugs.

R v Pereira (2016) – The successful prosecution of a complex murder case following the discovery of a body at the bottom of a reservoir. The defendant was convicted following a trial and sentenced to life imprisonment.

R V Bradley Dalli and Ors (2016) – successful defence in a case of conspiracy to murder. Paul represented the only defendant to be acquitted following a 6-week trial.

R v Dean Matley (2016) – The defence a man who had previously been classified as a ‘’dangerous offender”. Following his release from prison, the defendant was alleged to have shot a man with a sawn off shotgun as an act of revenge. Following legal argument, before the trial, the prosecution offered no evidence and the defendant was acquitted.

R v Billal Amin and Ors (2016) – Defended in a case concerning a group of adult males who groomed, trafficked and systematically abused young girls from care homes around London and East Anglia.

Naheem Aslam and Ors (2016) – Defended in a multi million pound drugs operation with 6 defendants. The case involved the importation of substantial amounts of high purity Cocaine and Heroin into the UK from the Netherlands.

R v M (2015) – The successful defence of a man charged with conspiracy to defraud. M was alleged to be involved in the systematic and lengthy abuse of the tachograph system within a large transport firm. Following a three-month trial at Newcastle Crown Court involving 10 defendants, the case was dropped against Mr. Hodgkinson’s client.

Operation Ludwin (2015) – Defence of a man involved in a large-scale conspiracy associated with a corrupt police officer linked to the investigation of Dale Creegan. The case included possession of guns, ammunition and an industrial sized cannabis farm.

R v M (2015) – Defence of an inmate at Altcourse prison who was alleged to have murdered a fellow prisoner. Following trial the defendant was convicted of manslaughter.

R v McCluney and Ors (2014) – Prosecution of the members of a “sex ring”. The case involved one member being kidnapped, tortured, sexually assaulted and badly beaten. The matter was successfully prosecuted to conviction of each of the gang members.

R v B (2014) – Defence of a man accused of historical rapes and sexual assaults over a number of years. B was acquitted following trial.

R v Rogers (2013) – The prosecution of a solicitor who had perpetrated a sophisticated and complex fraud of both his clients and the HMRC over many years.

M (2013) – A three week inquest involving the tragic death of a young man in custody at HMP Manchester.

R v Ball ( 2013) – The defence of a young man charged with murder involving the difficult issue of diminished responsibility, particularly involving alcohol and drugs and their influence upon criminal intent.

“Operation Hosh’ (2013) – The successful defence of one of only two acquitted defendants. The case involved a 4 year investigation into a £68 million international money laundering enterprise. The complex case involved a Spanish property development, which was said to be the proceeds of large-scale drug supply.

R v Yaghobi and Ors (2012) – A multi-handed conspiracy concerning the illegal trafficking of Afghani nationals into the UK through Sunderland. The Jury acquitted Mr Hodgkinson’s client.

‘Operation Siberia’ (2012) – Successful defence  in a case of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life. There were a significant number of linked conspiracies revolving around a large organised criminal gang, their armorers and drug suppliers. The trial involved significant legal argument and lasted 6 weeks. The Defendant was the only one to be acquitted by the jury.

R v Jane Aucott (2012) – Large-scale fraud perpetrated across the country by Miss Aucott who was an ex-commonwealth games medal winner and police officer who served as an undercover officer combating drug smuggling.

R v O’Donnell (2012) – A conviction appeal before the Court of Appeal concerning an offence of rape leading to the imposition of a life sentence. The case involved technical argument regarding low copy DNA, transference of cellular material and its subsequent statistical analysis.

R v Iriogbi (2012) – A murder trial at Nottingham Crown Court. The case had many complex issues, not least the then novel defence of loss of control.