Benjamin Myers

•           Ben specializes in serious crime.   He is instructed consistently in substantial and complex cases of murder, high value fraud, money laundering, multi-million pound confiscation under POCA, drug trafficking, national and international organized crime, rape, historic sexual abuse and armed robbery.  He has a wide experience of appellate matters.       

•           His knowledge of law and procedure relating to disclosure and abuse of process is extensive.  His expertise in the field of human rights and criminal law is a feature of his practice, both in court and in an advisory capacity. 

•           Ben provides advice and representation at all stages of proceedings, from pre-charge and investigation to appeal.  Clients regard him highly for his meticulous preparation, his knowledge of the case and his approachability. 

•           Ben has been ranked consistently as a leading practitioner in crime in Chambers Guide to the UK Legal Profession: he is described as a ‘polished and focused’ advocate with excellent judgement.

•           In addition to appearing regularly for the defence, Ben is a category 4 prosecutor and a specialist rape prosecutor.

•           Ben lectures other legal professionals on criminal law and has been a tutor in International Human Rights at the University of Leeds.

 

RECENT CASES

 

Murder

•           R v H and others : multiple shootings culminating in the shooting of unarmed police officers. 

•           R v Lee and others : nightclub stabbing involving minute analysis of CCTV and complex issues of joint enterprise

•           R v Khan : ‘honour killing’ by professional hit-man.

•           R v Cooke : gangland execution of businessman whose partially burnt body was discovered in a field in Cumbria.

•           R v Roche : murder of care worker.

•           R v Evans and others : murder of nightclub doorman.

•           R v Jackson : attempted murder.  Multiple stabbing by paranoid

            schizophrenic

•           R v Service : attempted murder.  Shooting in busy city centre. 

•           R v Lyndsey and others : attempted murder.  Gang attack and robbery of victim whose unconscious body was left in freezing water.

 

Fraud and financial

•           R v L : £21 million pyramid fraud.  Flagship prosecution by the Office of Fair Trading under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

•           R v C : Combined VAT fraud and money laundering in excess of £1.5

            million

•           R v Khan : Allegation of up to £40 million pound money laundering by businessman using ‘cuckoo smurfing’ as a means of international money- transfer.  Associated confiscation proceedings of £40 million.

•           R v Ross: £2.5 million fraud and arson.

•           R v Crowther : £1 million fraud by company accountant over a period of

            seven years.

•           R v Mohammed and others : leading counsel.  Blackmail and fraud by faith healer.  Sensitive cultural issues in addition to high-value offending

 

Drugs

•           R v P and others : £500 million international conspiracy to import class

            A drugs.

•           R v Ingham : multi-million pound importation of class A drugs combined with money laundering operation.  Use of road haulage systems to import drugs into the UK.

•           R v Guest : multi-million pound importation of class A drugs.  

•           R v Mahmood : leading counsel.  Bulk supply of cutting agent on industrial scale.  Complex legal issues relating to provisions of Serious Crime Act 2007

 

 

 

Sexual offences

•           R v Nejloveanu : leading counsel.  International trafficking, prostitution and rape of multiple victims by international crime ring.  Largest operation of its type at time of prosecution.

•           R v H : multiple-rape of 3-year old daughter by father.  Broadcast of associated images over the internet to paedophile ring.

•           R v Kerrigan: violent rape of a student by a defendant suffering serious psychiatric abnormalities, raising complex psychiatric and neuropsychiatric issues

•           R v C: gang rape.  Case collapsed after disclosure of complainant’s internet chat messages.

 

Further offences

•           R v P : leading counsel.  Misconduct in public office.  Abuse of police data systems by serving police officers.

•           R v W : conspiracy to possess firearms and use explosives.  Use of this weaponry in excess of 20 attacks on city streets. 

•           R v Parker and others: importation of illegal firearms into UK from overseas.  These included handguns, silencers and ammunition concealed in a motor vehicle and brought into the UK from Eastern Europe.  Largest post-war importation of its type at time of prosecution.

•           R v F : triple death by dangerous driving.

 

REPORTED CASES

 

•           Unsworth v DPP [2010] EWHC 3037 (Admin) : case stated regarding the parameters of lawful excuse as a defence to criminal damage under section 5(2) of the Criminal Damage Act 1971.

•           Benson,R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for Justice [2007] EWHC Admin 2055 : impact of Article 5 and common law due process when considering alleged breach of home detention curfew.

•           R v Rashford [2005] EWCA Crim 3377 : murder; extension of circumstances encompassing self-defence

•           R v Bevan [1999] EWCA Crim 2172 : where disparity in sentence is

            objectionable.

 

MEMBERSHIPS

 

•           Northern Circuit

•           Criminal Bar Association

•           JUSTICE

•           Law Reform Committee of the Bar Council

 

 

EDUCATION

 

•           LLM – International and European Human Rights Law (Distinction) –

            University of Leeds

•           BA – Joint Honours – University of Leeds

 

Email: myers@exchangechambers.co.uk