Alec regularly appears in both the Crown and Magistrates’ Courts both prosecuting and representing defendants. He is a CPS Advocate panel level 3 Prosecutor and regularly prosecutes and defends in Crown Court Trials. He appears in most criminal matters including the supply of controlled drugs, violence and offences against property. He also appears in Proceeds of Crime applications and in matters on behalf of the Probation Service.
Alec also appears on behalf of constabularies and the CPS in disclosure applications in the Family Court, using his knowledge of both jurisdictions to good effect to obtain vital information for ongoing investigations.
Notable cases
R v Peter Daley [2018]
Alec, led by Michael Hall, prosecuted this multi-million-pound fraud trial in Liverpool Crown Court. The Defendant had set up numerous companies, each mis-selling advertising in emergency services related magazines which did not exist. The case was complicated by the fact it had been investigated by numerous police forces, with complainants situated nationwide. The defendant pleaded guilty at the end of the Prosecution case and received eight years' custody.
R v Luke Finch [2018]
Alec successfully prosecuted this s.18 GBH trial in Gloucester Crown Court, where a disagreement in a club during the Cheltenham Gold Cup week resulted in the defendant biting part of the victim’s nose off. A trial on intent only resulted in a conviction and a 5-year sentence.
R v Daemon Griffiths [2018]
Alec defended in this case where the defendant had been arrested following an assault with an unused knife in his possession. Alec argued that the defendant had a good reason for possessing the knife and was successful in securing an acquittal.
R v LEM, LM and SW [2017]
Central Criminal Court – Alec Small, led by Jason Taylor represented the third defendant in a complex VAT and Excise Duty Fraud at the Old Bailey. Their client, the director of a wine importation company, was accused of illegally importing millions of pounds worth of undeclared wine from Italy and selling it for cash; evading vast amounts of taxes and duties payable in the process. In particular, their client was accused of being part of the ‘legitimate front’ presented by the company to HMRC to avoid detection.
After a thorough and detailed analysis of the computer evidence disclosed by the crown, Mr Taylor and Mr Small identified that key documents; relied upon by the prosecution as evidence of their client’s having signed letters connected to the company’s fraudulent activities, were in fact signed electronically. Others in the company had been using an image of his signature which they ‘copied and pasted’ into the draft letters.
Further expert computer analysis demonstrated that these documents had been produced without their client having any knowledge of their existence. As a result of this, the Albion team were able to successfully argue that their client had no case to answer in this £46 million fraud.
R v Mazzarello and Others [2017]
Alec is being led in this multi-handed fraud trial in the Old Bailey as junior counsel for the third defendant in a complex importation fraud worth around £40million. The trial is currently adjourned awaiting an interlocutory appeal following a successful argument by the first defendant of ‘double jeopardy’ under EU law following his prosecution in Italy for the same acts.
R v Hutchinson, Barclay and Others [2015]
Acting as junior counsel to Jason Taylor, Alec prosecuted in a four-handed assisting-an-offender case where the family and friends of Luchiano Barnes, the murderer in the original case, were accused of assisting him in fleeing the jurisdiction after the event. All four were found guilty, after a long trial involving complicated technical evidence.
BIS v Edwards [2015]
Alec prosecuted this two-day regulatory trial for the Department of Business Innovation and Skills where the defendant was accused of dispersing his assets prior to declaring for bankruptcy. A guilty verdict was achieved following a straightforward presentation of the lengthy written evidence and a comprehensive cross-examination process.
R v Barnes and Others [2014]
Alec acted as the Crown disclosure junior in this complex Murder and Conspiracy case in Bristol Crown Court. The case involved complex points of law including a half-time appeal by the Crown against a terminatory ruling. It was subsequently the subject of the Channel 4 documentary ‘The Murder Detectives.’ The case resulted in the conviction of the lead defendant, Luchiano Barnes, of murder.
Police v Dumbleton [2014]
Alec successfully argued on behalf of the defendant to have this case dismissed in the Magistrates’ Court following numerous issues with disclosure and identification evidence.
Crime Clerks:
Bonnie Colbeck
E: bonnie.colbeck@albionchambers.co.uk
T: 0117 311 0301
Ken Duthie
E: ken.duthie@albionchambers.co.uk
T: 0117 311 0368
