Robin Shellard

In 2020, 2021 & 2022 he was listed again in both The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners.

‘His ability to engaged with clients from all walks of life is outstanding. He really is able to calm them and fill them with confidence in his abilities within a very short period of time.’  Tier 1 – Legal 500 2022.

‘First-class at obtaining the trust of the jury, he is a friendly and approachable professional so consequently one who is taken notice of.’Tier 1. Legal 500 2021.

"An impressive advocate". - Chambers & Partners 2021.

‘An excellent all-round barrister’. Tier 1. – Legal 500 2020.

‘Excellent with clients and always up for a good scrap’. -Chambers & Partners 2020.

‘Recent work includes historic sexual offences and homicide cases.’ – Legal 500 2018

'He’s very much a jury man and is very persuasive.' – Chambers and Partners 2017

'Robin is really good, a very strong practitioner who does a lot of defence work.' – Chambers & Partners 2017

‘Recommended for multi-defendant fraud and drugs conspiracies.’ – Legal 500 2017

'Robin is really good, a very strong practitioner who does a lot of defence work.' – Chambers and Partners 2016

‘He specialises in sexual offence trials.’ – Legal 500 2016

'Absolutely the consummate gentleman barrister, he’s the complete package.' – Chambers and Partners 2015

R v Andy Akokye. Robin Shellard was junior counsel for the prosecution in the trial of Andy Anokye also known as the Grime Artist ‘Solo 45’. Anokye was unanimously convicted by a jury at Bristol Crown Court of 21 counts of rape; five counts of false imprisonment; two counts of assault by penetration and two ABH’s. Originally instructed to prosecute Anokye for rapes against one victim police seized Anokye’s mobile phones and laptop and this led to the police to three other women. Leading Counsel was then instructed. This was a complex and difficult prosecution given the terabytes of data that the defendant had stored; issues of bad character; previous sexual activity between the defendant and the victims and the resulting s.41 applications that were made by the defence.

Operation Nicosia. 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.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8152087/Gang-masked-robbers-jailed-total-32-years-terrorising-staff-knives-axes.html

Operation Solero. Prosecuted a 16 defendant conspiracy to supply kilo amounts cocaine between London and other cities resulting in convictions for all defendants.

R v Randawa and Others. Successful Brent Trading Standards prosecution of 4 defendants charged with fraud and money laundering.

R v Smith and others. He sucessfully prosecuted 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.

Operation Greenfield. Leading Junior in the successful prosecution of a 7-defendant conspiracy to supply kilos of cocaine and cannabis.

R v Gilby and others He successfully prosecuted a 15-defendant conspiracy to supply drugs between London and Bristol.

R v Farnham. Murder. Junior defence counsel to Patrick Harrington QC.

R v Pincher Junior Counsel to Ben Aina QC in prosecution involving supply of drugs and sexual assault against night club owner.

R v Mian Singh. Attempted Murder. Successful prosecution of man who tried to kill his brother.

R v Miah. Attempted Murder. Successful prosecution of man who attempted to kill relative.

R v Periera. Attempted Murder. Central Criminal Court.  Not guilty by reason of insanity.

R v Hackland. Prosecution brought by Medicines & Healthcare  Care Regulatory Agency of producers of unlicensed drugs.

Operation Astoria. Successfully defended client for offence under modern slavery legislation in prosecution brought by Regional Organised Crime Unit against OCG involved in cannabis factories and people trafficking.

R v Crosdale. Murder. Junior counsel to David Hislop QC, and in retrial Mark Wyeth QC, in successful defence of teenager charged with murder.

R v Begum and Salam. Successfully prosecutedhusband and wife charged with immigration offences and benefit fraud of £250,000.

Sexual offences

R v Khan. Prosecuted successfully at trial the rape by a stranger of a student walking home late at night.

R v H. Prosecuted man charged with numerous sexual offences against his three step daughters. Defended by Queen’s Counsel and junior Counsel

R v A. He was leading junior successfully defending in a multiple

complainant historic sex trial against a father with allegations by ex-wife and children

R v Wadsworth Junior counsel to Miranda Moore QC in prosecution of two BBC radio presenters charged with multiple historic sexual offences.

R v Denham [2017] 1 Cr. App. R. He defended at trial one of a number of men charges with conspiracy to rape babies which was prosecuted by the National Crime Agency (Operation Vanquis. R v Denham and others) and appeal against conviction.

Operation Button. He has successfully defended one of a number of men in Bristol charged with sexually exploiting vulnerable teenage girls.

Courts Martial

He has considerable experience appearing before Courts Martial in the UK and Germany and has appeared before the Courts Martial Appeal Tribunal.

Firearms

 “He stands out for his knowledge of firearms licensing.” – Chambers & Partners 2017

Robin has a particular interest in firearms law and was granted leave to appeal against conviction by the Court of Appeal in a case involving the importation of blank firing flare launchers that are legal in Europe. Robin also lectures on firearms legislation and frequently represents gun owners on applications and appeals involving firearms licensing.

He has prosecuted a private prosecution against a police officer for the use of a ‘Taser’ in a police cell against a naked man.

Regulatory Crime

He prosecutes for Trading Standards and is currently prosecuting a gang involving cowboy builders.

Successfully defended a prosecution brought by the OFT in the largest case concerning offences contrary to The Consumer Protection Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPUT) (Operation Caber). The case involved a national pyramid promotional scheme where over £20 million was lost. His was the only defendant to be acquitted after two trials each lasting four months.

He carries out a full range of regulatory work such as animal movement regulations; poaching; unsafe practices by retailers such as tattoo shops; and the handling and keeping of explosives. He has prosecuted for Trading Standards and Local Authorities and defended in cases involving trademark infringement and goods sold on E-Bay. Robin has represented a food processing company, Hamza Poultry Ltd, who were prosecuted for breaches of the Food Hygiene Regulations 2006 and defended the resulting £2m proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) where the prosecution was seeking to show that the failure to obtain the correct food processing licenses made the Company turnover criminal benefit for the purposes of POCA with a resulting liability for the Director.

He prosecutes on behalf of the Maritime & Coast Guard Agency.

Direct Access. Robin is qualified to carry out direct access work. He is happy to undertake preliminary advice.

Private Client. Robin carries out private client work in both regulatory and non-regulatory crime.

Criminal Bar Association

Clifton College Bristol 

University of Wales (BA Hons History) 

The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst 

University of Westminster (CPE) 

Inns of Court School of Law.

Fishing; shooting; watching Bath Rugby; playing cricket. Active member of a number of charities.