Date of Call: 1996
Denis has a wide range of experience in defending and prosecuting all aspects of criminal cases, including serious fraud. He is increasingly instructed as leading junior counsel. In addition, his areas of specialisation include Trade Mark, Copyright, Trading Standards and Consumer offences, for which he is instructed by both defendants, companies, and local authorities. Denis regularly lectures and gives seminars on all aspects of criminal and regulatory work, and has recently lectured on the effects of the Fraud Act 2006, the Corporate Manslaughter Act 2007, and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
Recent experience: Defence
He has defended in a number of murders (see notable cases), rape and indecent assault, firearms cases, kidnapping, arsons, serious assaults and complicated drug cases. He has particular expertise in cases involving children and the elderly and those involving sexual offences. He brought one of the first successful appeals about the use of the hearsay provisions in the CJA 2003. Denis is due to appear in the Court of Appeal in the first appeal against a Serious Crime Prevention Order.
Recent experience: Prosecution
Denis prosecuted (with Graham Trembath QC) a case involving whether or not Texas Hold 'Em is a game of chance or skill. The jury unanimously convicted after two hours, and found that it was both: as did the Court of Appeal. He is currently instructed on behalf of the Office of Fair Trading in the first ever prosecution of pyramid selling.
He has conducted cases for the Fraud Prosecution Service, Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise and Asset Recovery Agency. He has broad experience in confiscation and money laundering proceedings (see notable cases), and mortgage frauds.
He has prosecuted two cases involving the death of infants: the manslaughter of one of two twins (gross negligence manslaughter) and one involving ‘shaken baby syndrome’.
Regulatory work
He has been appointed as a Secretary to the Accountancy and Actuarial Tribunal. Denis was recently instructed on behalf of a Further Education College who are appealing against the suspension of their licence to practice.
In addition Denis’ areas of specialisation include Trade Mark, Copyright, Consumer Credit and Environmental offences, for which he is instructed by both defendants, companies, and local authorities. He has lectured and given seminars at the last seven Trading Standards annual conferences. He has brought a number of injunctions under Part VIII of the Enterprise Act 2002, including a ‘mock’ auction house, a seller of sickly dogs, an on-line ticket seller and a provider of children's clothing.
Inquests
He is currently instructed on behalf of a Hospital Trust in an Inquest into the death of an infant during child birth.
Competition/Cartels
He was instructed on behalf of a building company in the recent OFT investigation into cover pricing in the building industry, involving written and oral representations to the OFT Tribunal.