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2 Hare Court, Temple, London, EC4Y 7BH
Tel: 020 7353 5324
Fax: 020 7353 0667
2 Hare Court, Temple, London, EC4Y 7BH
Tel: 020 7353 5324
Fax: 020 7353 0667
Christopher Gillespie
A senior junior who has considerable experience of defending and prosecuting serious and complex crime including attempted murder, drug trafficking and armed robbery with a particular emphasis on fraud, money laundering and confiscation work.
Chris is recognised for his analytical skill and ability to cut to the heart of the issue out of court and his forceful presentation of his client's case in court.
During the course of his practice Chris has dealt with difficult and sensitive PII issues concerning the authorisation and use of informants, undercover operatives and telephone intercepts, allegations of "State run crime” and entrapment, expert evidence relating to DNA/blood spatter, medical evidence as to causation and forensic accountancy/banking evidence. Please see under the individual practice areas for further details.
In relation to his fraud practice Chris has considerable experience and expertise in the following areas:
Chris regularly advises and appears on behalf of parties affected by pre- and post-charge restraint orders and for third parties at the enforcement stage of confiscation proceedings.
Chris also lectures and advises solicitors and other professionals on their obligations under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and Money Laundering Regulations. Also in the regulatory sphere Chris has advised and represented barristers before the BSB.
Chris' practice has encompassed European Arrest Warrants and extradition, in particular with regard to dual criminality and specialty.
He has appeared before prison disciplinary tribunals and has been instructed in cases in the Administrative Court concerning the recall of prisoners serving sentences imposed under the 1991 sentencing regime both before and after amendment by the 1998 Act.
He is a member of the Criminal Bar Association and the Proceeds of Crime Lawyers' Association.
| Case name | R v Negus and Others (Guildford Crown Court) |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Leading for the 1st defendant |
| Detail | Multi-million pound mortgage fraud where allegation was that the defendant was providing both mortgages and cover stories for cash rich individuals who could not disclose the true source of their income |
| Case name | R v Finch and others (Nottingham Crown Court) |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Leading for the defence |
| Detail | £20 million conspiracy to defraud customers of a private bank |
| Case name | R v Smith and others (Leicester Crown Court) |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Defence (Led by Trevor Burke QC) |
| Detail | Acting for first of nine defendants in a multi-million pound import duty and inland revenue fraud and associated money laundering offences; factually and legally difficult issues as to links with other cases and confiscation |
| Case name | R v Antony (Southend Crown Court) |
|---|---|
| Detail | Acted for first defendant in Spanish based boiler room fraud |
| Case name | R v Rees Jones and others (Newport Crown Court) |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Defence (led by Charles Bott, now Charles Bott QC) |
| Detail | Acting for first defendant accused of massive mortgage fraud centring on two prestige Belgravia properties; defendant alleged to be money launderer/financier for serious organised crime and terrorism; case stayed as abuse of process after seven months at the close of prosecution case; huge issues as to PII/disclosure |
| Case name | R v Tanov and others (Southwark Crown Court) |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Prosecution (Led Junior) |
| Detail | One of the first Russian mafia credit card factory cases; issues included the use and deployment of an undercover officer who was being employed initially by the Federation Against Copyright Theft and entrapment |
| Case name | R v Austin and Gordon; R v Roberts (Southwark Crown Court; Blackfriars Crown Court) |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Prosecution (Junior alone) |
| Detail | Two linked cases involving English criminals based in Spain laundering in excess of £13 million through a London Bureau de Change and a bogus Spanish exchange facility. All defendants represented by QCs and juniors. Case involved a review of the relationship between Customs and the London Bureaux de Change in light of cases involving Danati and Halep; issues of “state run crime” and entrapment |
| Case name | R v Richardson and others (Kingston Crown Court) |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Defence (Leading) |
| Detail | Defendant charged with multi-million pound money laundering and tax evasion |
| Case name | R v Mulligan (Kingston Crown Court) |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Defence |
| Detail | Junior alone for SOCA target defendant accused of involvement in the importation of two tonnes of cannabis concealed in frozen chickens. |
| Case name | R v Hanley (Blackfriars Crown Court) |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Defence |
| Detail | Junior alone for defence in SOCA prosecution of alleged organiser and financier of importations of large quantities of cocaine from Columbia. |
| Case name | R v Ferguson and others (Southwark Crown Court) |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Defence |
| Detail | Junior alone for the first of five defendants charged with a serious firearms conspiracy. The defence involved allegations of corruption by officers of the specialist crime directorate. |
| Case name | R v Stanley (Central Criminal Court) |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Defence |
| Detail | Junior alone for defendant charged with attempted murder arising out of a drug related dispute. |
| Case name | R v Saunders (Croydon Crown Court) |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Defence |
| Detail | Junior alone for the first of five defendants charged with torture and blackmail. Complex issues of disclosure and public interest immunity, relating to relationship of victim to police and figures in organised crime which led to prosecution offering no evidence. |
| Case name | R v Simon Price (aka Stephen Raymond) (Snaresbrook Crown Court) |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Prosecution |
| Detail | Junior counsel for prosecution led by Alan Suckling QC in case involving the importation of approximately 700 kilos of cocaine. Case involved a fully protected jury. The confiscation area which Chris prosecuted alone lasted seven days and involved issues of French property law, potentially forged documents and the defendant’s purported settlement with the Inland Revenue in this country. |
| Case name | R v Beard and Herbert (Central Criminal Court) |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Defence |
| Detail | Led junior for defence in what was at the time the biggest firearms factory found in the UK. |
| Case name | R v Cole (Central Criminal Court) |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Defence |
| Detail | Led junior for the defence in part of the Michael Michael series of trials |
