Orlando Pownall KC

Orlando Pownall KC

"Truly excellent. He immediately fills the court with confidence."

Chambers UK 2023
Year of call: 1975 KC: 2002
For enquiries please call: 020 7353 5324 or email vcard cv linkedin save

Criminal Defence

Orlando is a highly regarded and esteemed defence advocate who previously held the position of Treasury Counsel, both Junior and First Senior. During his tenure as First Senior Treasury Counsel he prosecuted a large number of high profile cases but since his appointment to Silk in 2002 he almost exclusively defends. In recent years he has defended a number of celebrities charged with a variety of offences, along with two of the journalists charged with aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office and offences contrary to computer misuse legislation.

Cases

R v Medouni

Represented the husband of the couple accused of murdering French nanny Sophie Lionnet and attempting to dispose of her remains by barbecuing them in their South West London garden. Medouni’s wife was convinced Lionnet was conspiring with her ex-boyfriend, ex-Boyzone singer Mark Walton and interrogated and tortured the nanny during the weeks leading up to her death.

R v Adam Johnson

Represented former Sunderland and England footballer, Adam Johnson at his trial on two charges of sexual activity with a child, relating to an incident between him and a 15 year old fan.  Following a 3 week trial at Bradford Crown Court he was unanimously acquitted of the most serious charge, but convicted of a lesser charge of digital penetration. The case attracted widespread publicity in the national and international press.

R v Chris Cairns

Represented the former New Zealand cricketer, charged with perjury and perverting the course of justice following a libel case Cairns brought against Lalit Modi the former chairman of the IPL over a defamatory tweet.

R v Terry Hughes

Employees of G4S who were charged with the unlawfully killing of the deportee Jimmy Mubenga

R v Leoni Granger

Charged with the murder of a gambler in a so called “ honey trap” plot.

R v Kofi Mercer

Charged with murder arising out of advances in DNA profiling techniques.

Orlando has recently appeared in the Supreme Court where he represented Gerry McGeough who sought to appeal his conviction for attempted murder and membership of the IRA on the grounds that confidential information provided for the purpose of an application for refugee status was wrongly admitted in evidence.

Orlando regularly appears in the Court of Appeal in appeals against both conviction and sentence.

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