Gavin Irwin

Criminal Defence

Gavin has appeared for the defence in numerous homicide cases before the Central Criminal Court. In recent years he has represented individuals charged with rape (disclosure of multi-agency records and the controversial statistical analysis of DNA), causing non-accidental harm to children (numerous paediatric, medical experts), arson and firearms offences (expert DNA and cell-site evidence) and substantial drug trafficking (covert probe intercept evidence and evidence obtained under letters of request).

Gavin is currently representing:

• the alleged lead conspirator in proceedings for drug trafficking – involving organised crime groups in the Greater Manchester area
• an individual charged with murder – arising from escalating domestic tensions and controlling behaviour during lock-down
• an individual charged with conspiracy to counterfeit currency – the most significant case of its kind for more than a decade, involving >£5million of £20 notes

In the recent past, Gavin has represented:

• a Zimbabwean national charged with the gross negligence manslaughter of the elderly woman for whom she was caring, in her home
• a UK national charged with murder in the course of an aggravated burglary
• a Chinese national in proceedings for money laundering involving the misuse of the Daigou ‘luxury items’ trading system
• a Nigerian national for conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and conspiracy to launder the proceeds of crime, involving a multinational network of persons and organisations who transferred the proceeds through bank accounts in China
• the principal defendant in confiscation proceedings arising from the defendant’s conviction for what the SFO dubbed “the largest boiler room fraud ever pursued by a UK authority” – valued at £70 million

In addition, Gavin has acted as leading counsel for the prosecution in perhaps the most significant proceedings ever brought by a Local Authority under the CPUT Regulations 2008 – for cold-calling the elderly and vulnerable and offering them ‘free’ alarm, fire and security systems.