Appeals
Top Direct Access Criminal Appeals Barrister | London & UK
I am a top public direct access criminal appeals barrister with vast experience and stunning successes.
Being wrongly convicted of a criminal offense or having received a lengthy sentence in a criminal court can have a devastating impact upon an accused, their friends and family and the appeal process in this jurisdiction can at times be quite difficult to navigate through.
It is and it’s part of our task to take those we represent through this process in as painless a way as possible.
There are two types of appeal in this jurisdiction:
- Appeal Against Conviction
- Appeal Against Sentence
For both of those types of appeal there is a two -stage process. In the first instance all cases must be put before a single judge who will decide whether or not there are arguable grounds of appeal.
The task that we have in representing individuals in that position is to draft grounds of appeal which are succinct and to the point for the simple reason that the single judge will often be inundated with work to consider.
Top Direct Access Criminal Appeals Barrister | London & UK
Grounds of Appeal Against Conviction | Best Public Direct Access Criminal Appeals Barrister | London & UK
The common misconceptions as far as appeals against conviction are concerned in my experience is that people often feel that they can appeal simply because they do not like the verdict in the crime court but that’s not the case.
The court of appeal will only interfere with and overturn a conviction if they come to the conclusion that the conviction is unsafe. Now there is no textbook answer or reasoning as to what amounts to an unsafe conviction.
– It could be for example that the prosecution have not done all that they ought to have done in that they maybe have not disclosed material that they should have disclosed. We have certainly experienced that throughout my career.
– It could be for example that the judge has given a misdirection of law to the jury
– It could be that there’s been some type of procedural irregularity.
So all of those reasons, and others, could amount to a basis upon which it could be argued that the conviction is unsafe.
Now, nobody can guarantee that they will successfully represent somebody on appeal. And if somebody does guarantee you that, you should be very cautious about proceeding with them.
However, what we can guarantee is because of our deliberately limited size and the niche nature and our focus on client personal care, we will dramatically guarantee that we improve your chances of an appeal being successful.
BEST DIRECT ACCESS APPEALS BARRISTER | KIERAN VAUGHAN KC | LONDON & UK
Kieran Vaughan KC
Kieran is widely recognised as one of the UK’s top criminal defence trial barrister and criminal appeal KCs. His experience in dealing with the most serious, complex national cases is almost unparalleled. Kieran has successfully defended individuals in the Crown Court and Court of Appeal in many high profile cases, and areas of Law.
The Legal 500 describes Kieran as: “Possibly the best KC of our generation. He is an amazing lawyer with tactical nous and a wonderful court manner. His cross-examination is skilful and incisive, his legal arguments are well prepared and persuasive, and he is committed to the clients he represents. A brilliant all-rounder – not a hint of any weakness.”
Grounds of Appeal Against Sentence | Leading Expert Direct Access Specialist Criminal Appeals Barrister | London & UK
As for appeals against sentence, the Court of Appeal will only interfere with a sentence that’s been passed in the Crown Court, if in their judgement it is a sentence that’s either manifestly excessive or wrong in principle.
As with appeals against conviction, there is a two stage process for that to be considered:
The first stage is consideration as to whether or not there are grounds of appeal by the single judge.
If the single judge is of the view that there are arguable grounds of appeal, then he or she will refer the case to the full Court. If in fact the single judge does not believe that there are arguable grounds of appeal, then there is still a possibility that the case can be argued in front of the full Cour, and as a specialist appeals barrister we know how to leverage this possibility.
Whether a sentence is in fact wrong in principle or manifestly excessive will depend upon a multitude of factors. And as with appeals against conviction, there is no textbook answer as to what that is.
And so what’s really required in order to represent somebody’s interests as best as it is possible to do, is a careful analysis and assimilation of the papers and the material that went before the Crown Court in order to assess whether or not there are arguable grounds to be put before the Court of Appeal.
And this requires time, effort and focus. It is this that enables us to maximize an individual’s prospects for success on appeal.
Notable Appeals Cases | Top Criminal Appeals KC Led Barrister | London & UK | Direct Access Scheme Representation
Ched Evans – Professional Footballer
Mr Evans was a professional footballer who was originally convicted of rape. Kieran did not appear at the original trial but was instructed to lead the appeal on behalf of Mr Evans. As Mr Evans had already had his appeal against conviction refused by the Court of Appeal, the only route to appeal was via the CCRC. Having considered submissions, the CCRC referred the case to the Court of Appeal who heard a lengthy appeal against conviction involving fresh evidence from a number of witnesses. The Court of Appeal quashed his conviction. Read more.
Not having represented Christine at her original trial, Kieran was instructed to advise and represent Miss Connor on an appeal against conviction in the Court of Appeal, Northern Ireland. Miss Connor had been convicted of a number of terrorist related offences, including attempting to murder a number of police officers. After a lengthy three-day appeal involving live evidence, all of Miss Connor’s convictions were quashed. Read more.
Kieran represented Mr B in the Court of Appeal, not having represented him at trial. Mr Baxter and two others (DS and RP) had been convicted in 2010 of conspiracy to murder. The entire appeal process lasted three years. The appeal largely concerned the use of forensic voice evidence and involved the Court of Appeal hearing evidence from a number of expert witnesses. The original convictions were quashed and Mr B was subsequently acquitted in a re-trial. Read more.
Kieran advised and represented Michael in an appeal against the findings of the High Court in N Ireland that he was responsible for the Omagh Bombing. Mr McKevitt had been convicted in Dublin of leading and directing the Real IRA. The mainstay of the evidence against him came from a FBI and Mi5 agent David Rupert, who has subsequently written a book about his involvement with the organisation. Read more.
Mr V was accused of being involved in a sophisticated plot to import £12 million of cocaine in a helicopter. Kieran dealt with the case in the Court of Appeal where Mr V appealed against his sentence. Read more.
Mr G was charged, together with others, of importing millions of pounds worth of cocaine into the UK. The drugs were imported in specially designed hides within luxury vehicles. Kieran dealt with the case in the Court of Appeal where Mr G appealed against his sentence. Read more.
Contact Me Now for Direct Access Expert Crime Appeal Representation | Best Criminal Appeals Barrister for London & UK
If you or a loved one are seeking the best possible representation for either an appeal against conviction or an appeal against sentence, from best-in-class public access criminal barrister an outstanding track record of appeal success together with an outstanding reputation for personal care.
Contact me now on 0207 101 4164 or send us a message here.
Best direct access KC led criminal defence barrister for London and the UK – Top Barrister Home Page