Martin Hicks KC is a leading silk who specialises in the defence of crime, fraud, both domestic and international, and business regulation.
He was involved in the 21/7 London bombing cases and represented the Jamaat al Muslimeen leader, Abu Bakr, accused of terrorism and sedition with Al Qaeda links to the JFK Pipeline Bomb Plot. Other high-profile cases include the Victoria Beckham Kidnap Plot, the trial of Hendy-Freegard (the “bogus MI5 agent kidnapper” and subject of a Channel 4 documentary), Byron Coles (the south London PCC gang as featured in the BBC series “Murder Blue”) and Operation Elveden where he represented senior editorial journalists of the Sun and Daily Mirror acquitted of making payments to public officials for news stories.
Recent instructions include securing an acquittal in a well publicised “Exorcism” killing trial, a suspended sentence for a seafood trader who smuggled £53 million of endangered (CITES) eels to the far east, appearing in the privately prosecuted Allseas multi million investment fraud and acting for a former Quindell director during a 6 year investigation by the SFO and which concluded with no criminal charges.
Martin came to prominence as junior defence counsel in R v Pryce (a 17-year old musician accused of hacking into high security computer systems belonging to the Pentagon and NASA). Through his appearances in cases brought against a range of high-profile individuals, as well as cases arising from a series of “fake sheik” stings by the News of the World, and other matters such as the series of celebrity Rolex robberies and a major mobile phone heist at Heathrow airport, he gained experience of prosecuting as well as defending.
Martin is consistently recommended by the leading industry directories Chambers UK and The Legal 500, he is routinely first choice counsel for many of the major defence firms, and he appears in courts across the UK, as well as overseas. He advises and appears for individual defendants, corporate clients, their directors and officers and national governments and agencies. He also acts on behalf of professionals such as accountants, solicitors and others who face proceedings arising out of their work.
In the Chambers UK 2024, Martin is described in these terms
“A very calm, laid-back character who gave a masterful performance in court.”
Throughout his career he has specialised in cases involving fraud and these have formed a substantial part of his practice. He has experience of VAT and MTIC fraud, residential and commercial mortgage fraud, banking and boiler room fraud, insurance fraud, advance fee and factoring fraud, Ponzi schemes, bribery and corruption, offshore tax evasion, money laundering, and others. He also has extensive experience of POCA and related proceedings including confiscation, restraint and asset forfeiture.
Recently he has mounted defence arguments involving Hawala banking transactions and various Islamic financial institutions. He secured acquittals for the deputy news editor of the Sun and a Daily Mirror news journalist in separate high profile trials prosecuted under Operation Elveden (misconduct in a public office) concerned with payments to public officials.
He is currently advising a national government on issues of mutual legal assistance and judicial review arising out of cross border corporate fraudulent activity.
Cases of note include:
R v RT
Martin, with Chris Foulkes, advised a former director of Quindell PLC (now Watchstone PLC) in relation to an SFO investigation into the business and accounting practices at the company.
The investigation arose following the acquisition of the company’s Professional Services Division by the personal injury law firm, Slater & Gordon for a reported £637 million. The purchase was later described by the Law Society Gazette as one of the most “contentious acquisition deals in legal history … the most expensive ever by a business in the legal sector of England and Wales”. It led to civil proceedings against Watchstone by Slater & Gordon (ultimately settled) and an FRC fine and reprimand for KPMG as auditor of Quindell during the relevant period.
Martin and Chris advised the former director throughout an extensive and protracted investigation by the SFO, which finally announced that no criminal charges would be brought.
Martin is currently ranked a Band 1 leading silk by Chambers UK 2024 Crime as he is
“a very effective advocate, who’s measured and deals well with opponents.”
In the last ten years his appearances as KC have seen him defend in the well publicised trials of:
More recently he appeared for news journalists in the high profile trials prosecuted under Operation Elveden (misconduct in a public office) concerned with payments to public officials. Martin was able to secure acquittals in two separate cases.
Martin has experience of cases brought under the terrorism legislation, particularly in an international context.
He was involved in the 21/7 London bombings case, and is currently representing the Jamaat al Muslimeen leader Abu Bakr, who is accused (in a third set of cases brought in Trinidad) of terrorism and sedition with Al Qaeda links to the JFK Pipeline Bomb Plot.
He has recently advised the Attorney General and State of Jersey Police on the question of whether a Senator’s article 8 rights had been breached.
Martin also has a particular interest in planning and licensing law, and has appeared in a number of applications relating to planning permission and conservation area issues. His extensive experience of deploying concise advocacy for lay audiences in the context of jury trials has proved extremely effective before local authority committees.
Most recently, acting on behalf of an objecting party, he achieved the unanimous refusal, on both planning and conservation grounds, of an application to redevelop a large existing site into a significantly more extensive residential development in a historic and high-value area of London.
In another matter he successfully obtained an Article 4 Directive, its first by a London Council, thereby securing the future of a community Pub from the risk of residential development.
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