Paul Hodgkinson secures Not Guilty verdict for client in multi-million pound fraud case

July 30, 2019

Paul Hodgkinson of Exchange Chambers leading Sushil Kumar of 25 Bedford Row secured a Not Guilty verdict for their client following a 6 month fraud trial at Wood Green Crown Court, London.

The case, which was prosecuted by HMRC, concerned a complex multi-million pound VAT and duty evasion fraud. Paul and Sushil’s client was the Director of one of the companies involved.

The client was in the exceptional position of having been found unfit after the end of the prosecution’s case and was then made subject to an actus reus trial. This meant that the jury had merely to be sure of his participation in the fraud and could convict him without considering whether or not he had behaved dishonestly.

Their client was found Not Guilty on all 7 of the 9 counts which he faced. 5 of the 7 other defendants who faced trial in the normal way were convicted.

Paul and Sushil were instructed by Ben Richardson and Bridie Kelly of Richardson Lissack.

Paul is a member of the criminal team at Exchange Chambers. Paul qualified as a solicitor in 1997, before transferring to the Bar in 2002 where he specialises in serious crime, fraud, regulatory and coronial work. His practice involves the most serious and complex criminal cases including murder, fraud and large-scale conspiracies.