23ES Barrister CV Template

23 Essex Street London WC2R 3AA
020 7413 0353
Tom Godfrey 2003
Profile
Tom has built up an impressive Crown Court practice, which is wideranging and diverse with particular focus on fraud, homicide and
serious organised crime.
Tom defends mainly in London and the South East and is instructed by
leading firms of solicitors. He has also been graded a level three
prosecutor by the CPS and is on the Attorney General's list of
prosecution counsel.
He meticulously prepares his cases and is renowned for his hard
working and methodical approach. He has an enviable track record in
front of juries and is personable and well liked by both lay and
professional clients.
Fraud and Financial Crime
Selected cases include:
R v MS and others (2014) Southwark Crown Court [defence]
Conspiracy to defraud.
Junior to Simon Russell Flint QC defending in SFO prosecution of £40m
Ponzi fraud.
News Report
R v IH and others (2014) Snaresbrook Crown Court [defence]
Conspiracy to defraud
Junior alone defending in an Oyster card fraud in which the defendant
is alleged to be at the centre of a sophisticated operation.
R v AA and RB (2014) Reading Crown Court [prosecution]
Conspiracy to defraud
Junior alone prosecuting employees of a major steel dealership for
Counsel’s Clerk
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Regulatory Clerk
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Primary Areas of Practice
General Crime
Homicide
Sexual Offences
Fraud & Financial Crime
Regulatory & Disciplinary
Proceedings
Professional Memberships
South Eastern Circuit
Criminal Bar Association
Fraud Lawyers Association
Public Access
Thomas Godfrey is permitted
by the Bar Council to accept
instructions directly under the
Public Access scheme.
23 Essex Street London WC2R 3AA
020 7413 0353
Tom Godfrey 2003
abuse of position.
R v PO and others (2014) Woolwich Crown Court [defence]
Conspiracy to defraud.
Junior alone defending in a long running fraud involving employees of
the local authority.
R v TM and others (2013) Southwark Crown Court [defence]
Conspiracy to Cheat the Revenue. Junior to Rupert Pardoe
Defending a solicitor in allegations of large-scale fraud connected to
the film industry.
Telegraph News Report
Daily Mail News Report
R v PW (2012) Southwark Crown Court [prosecution]
Fraudulent trading. Junior to Paul Ozin
Prosecuting the defendant who, it was alleged, dishonestly ran a
company as a vehicle for his own personal benefit and by diverse
methods misappropriated company funds and defrauded customers.
Homicide
Selected Cases Include:
R v AW (2014) Central Criminal Court [defence]
Murder. Junior to John Price QC
Defending a man indicted with the murder of his wife by setting fire to
her. Children aged 4 and 5 were youngest to ever have given evidence
at a murder trial.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2604320/Guilty-Jealousfather-twelve-49-killed-24-year-old-lover-turning-human-fireball-triedleave-teenage-son.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/julie-beattie-death-ashleywilliams-3413842
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/boy-4-is-youngest-witnessever-at-the-old-bailey-at-murder-trial-of-mother-who-died-fromburns-9238184.html
R v GJ (2014) Central Criminal Court [defence]
23 Essex Street London WC2R 3AA
020 7413 0353
Tom Godfrey 2003
Murder. Junior to Richard Carey-Hughes QC
Defending a 77-year-old man indicted with the murder of his own son.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-26856441
R v CL (2013) Reading Crown Court [defence]
Murder. Junior to John Price QC.
The Defendant is alleged to have murdered the deceased in a fight in
the streets of Reading. Issues re: causation, intoxication and intent.
News Report
R v PS and others (2013) Snaresbrook Crown Court [defence]
Attempted murder.
Junior alone representing a young man who was indicted with the
attempted murder of a gang rival, in the course of which the
complainant was stabbed multiple times on the streets of East London.
News Report
R v JA and others [2013] Reading Crown Court [prosecution]
Attempted murder and firearms offences.
Sole counsel prosecuting a gangland shooting.
News Report
CPS Report
R v JC (2012) Reading Crown Court [prosecution]
Murder. Junior counsel to Andrew Edis QC
Prosecuting this familial murder. Issues re: loss of control and
diminished responsibility.
BBC News Report
R v Aarron Smith (2011) Maidstone Crown Court [defence]
Attempted murder.
Junior alone representing the defendant in allegations of multiple
attempts to kill. Whilst in drink, the defendant used a bread knife to
saw at the necks of two others. Issues re: mental health, intoxication
and intention.
BBC News Report
R v JS & Others (2011) Reading Crown Court [prosecution]
Conspiracy to murder. Junior led by Ian Acheson
23 Essex Street London WC2R 3AA
020 7413 0353
Tom Godfrey 2003
Prosecuting a number of defendants alleged to have launched a
vigilante revenge attack following a serious assault on one of their
number.
News Report
General Crime
Selected Cases Include:
R v DJ (2014) Central Criminal Court [defence]
Misconduct in a public office. Junior alone representing a serving
police officer indicted as part of Operation Elveden, the cash for stories
scandal.
BBC News Report
R v NM(2014) Central Criminal Court [defence]
Forgery and impersonating a solicitor
Junior alone defending a man indicted with forging a court judgement
and impersonating a solicitor.
R v SN (2014) Blackfriars Crown Court [defence]
Human trafficking
Junior alone defending in trafficking case involving the young daughter
of the defendant.
R v XX and others (2013) Woolwich Crown Court [defence]
Aggravated burglary.
Junior alone. The defendant, with others, was alleged to have broken
into the house of the complainant armed with crowbars and gaffer
tape. After they had tied the complainant up and subjected him to a
beating, various items of value were then stolen.
R v KM and others (2013) Southwark Crown Court [defence]
Conspiracy to supply firearms.
Sole counsel defending in long running conspiracy to supply firearms in
central London.
News Report
R v BC and others (2012) Kingston Crown Court [defence]
S18 GBH
23 Essex Street London WC2R 3AA
020 7413 0353
Tom Godfrey 2003
Junior alone defending a young university student who became
embroiled in a street fight, in which very serious injuries were caused.
R v XX and others (2012) Snaresbrook Crown Court [defence]
Grievous bodily harm. Defending alone in a multi handed GBH trial.
R v XX & others (2012) Reading Crown Court [prosecution]
False imprisonment and assault.
Instructed as sole counsel to prosecute four members of the same
family indicted with the false imprisonment and assault of the
daughter following an arranged marriage. Issues re: hearsay and
special measures.
News Report
R v RT & others (2011) Guildford Crown Court [prosecution]
Misconduct in a public office. Junior to Ian Acheson
Prosecuting a prison governor and two officers for abusing their
position within HMP Downview. The allegations spanned a period of
four years in which it was alleged a culture of sexual activity developed
between officers and inmates.
Daily Mail News Report
BBC News Report
R v SH (2010) Guildford Crown Court [defence]
Dangerous driving.
Junior alone defending a serving police officer alleged to have driven
dangerously in the course of his duty.
News Report
R v LG & another (2010) Maidstone Crown Court [defence]
S18 wounding and false imprisonment.
Junior alone representing the defendant who, along with another,
falsely imprisoned and tortured their friend following a disagreement
over a boy. Attracted widespread national press coverage.
Telegraph News Report
Sky News Report
R v RD & another (2009) Inner London Crown Court [defence]
Junior alone defending in what is believed to be the first ever
prosecution under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Wilful mistreatment
23 Essex Street London WC2R 3AA
020 7413 0353
Tom Godfrey 2003
of a 91-year-old woman who lacked capacity whilst resident in a care
home.
Police News Report
Drugs
Selected Cases Include
R v MM and others (2013) Maidstone Crown Court [defence]
Conspiracy to supply cannabis.
Junior alone defending in massive cannabis conspiracy.
BBC News Report
R v MM and others (2012) Central Criminal Court [prosecution]
Conspiracy to supply class A.
Instructed as sole counsel to prosecute a conspiracy to supply class A
drugs arising out of a major test purchase operation in east London.
R v SO (2012) Southwark Crown Court [defence]
Supplying Class A drugs.
Junior alone defending in large scale TPO drugs operation throughout
Central London.
R v JC and other (2012) Reading Crown Court [defence]
Conspiracy to supply class A
Junior alone defending in covert drug sting in which surveillance had
been carried out over a number of months.
R v TA & others (2012) Reading Crown Court [prosecution]
Conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Junior to Gareth Branston
Prosecuting seven defendants in cross-border conspiracy to supply
heroin.
Police News Report
R v PYW & Others (2011) Reading Crown Court [defence]
Conspiracy to produce cannabis and offences contrary to sections 44
and 45 of the Serious Crime Act 2007. Junior led by Graham Smith
defending in what the Crown describe as a large and commercial
supply of equipment used in the production of cannabis.
23 Essex Street London WC2R 3AA
020 7413 0353
Tom Godfrey 2003
Sexual Offences
Selected Cases include
R v XX & Others (2012) Reading Crown Court [defence]
Aiding and abetting rape. Instructed as junior counsel to Robin Sellers
representing a woman charged with aiding and abetting in the rape of
an 8 year old girl. Highly sensitive case involving novel law re: aiding
and abetting.
Daily Mail News Report
R v Jordan Janssen (2011) Southwark Crown Court [defence]
Distributing and producing indecent images. Junior alone defending a
serving police officer who was found to have distributed images levels
1-4 and had produced images of level 1-5.
News Report
R v Thorn & Another (2011) Southampton Crown Court [defence]
Incest and sexual assault. Junior alone in historic sex case in which
three grandchildren were alleging sexual assault and other offences
against their grandfather, the defendant, and grandmother. Issues re:
fitness to plead and severance. Following an abuse of process
argument, the judge stayed the entire indictment on the grounds of
delay.
Taxidermy and COTES offences
Tom has developed a niche practice representing those accused under
the Control in the Trade of Endangered Species Regulations. He is
available to advise and represent those who find themselves accused
of such offences and is well versed in COTES and the European Council
Regulations.
Selected cases include:
R v JC [2014] Basildon Crown Court [defence]
Regulation 8 offences
Junior alone representing an individual charged with various offences
contrary to Regulation 8 of the COTES Regs 1997.
SW (2013) Croydon Crown Court [defence]
23 Essex Street London WC2R 3AA
020 7413 0353
Tom Godfrey 2003
COTES offences, fraud and money laundering.
Junior alone representing a taxidermist charged with fraud and money
laundering as well as various offences contrary to the Control in the
Trade in Endangered Species (COTES) Regulations. Further issues to do
with restraint.
BBC News Report
Court of Appeal
Tom regularly appears in the appellate courts. Some of his recent cases
are detailed below.
R v EN (2013)
Applying for leave to appeal against a sentence of 12 years imposed for
conspiracy to produce class A drugs.
R v DC [2013] EWCA Crim 1832
Responding to an appeal against conviction based upon the
inadmissibility of mass spec drugs traces and covert audio recordings.
R v JJ [2012] EWCA Crim 3202
Applying to set aside an abandonment of an appeal as a nullity.
R v BC (2012)
Appeal against conviction on the basis that an alternative verdict had
not been left to the jury.
R v LG [2011] EWCA Crim 685
Appeal against sentence in an assault and false imprisonment case.
R v MM (2011)
Appeal against sentence for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
R v JW [2010] EWCA Crim 444
Appeal against sentence for a section 20 GBH matter.
23 Essex Street London WC2R 3AA
020 7413 0353
Tom Godfrey 2003
Civil Recovery and Asset Recovery
R v SW Southwark Crown Court
Restraint proceedings. Application to discharge a restraint order
granted ex parte. Issues re: dissipation of assets and duty of disclosure
on the applicant
Regulatory and Disciplinary Proceedings
Tom is well versed regulatory and discipline hearings in front of a range
of different tribunals.
Police discipline
Tom has appeared in front of police misconduct panels in a number of
substantive hearings. He is well known for his written work when
advising on grounds of appeal against the findings of misconduct
panels at first instance.
Re: Rohan SCRALETT (2014) Metropolitan police
Discipline hearing following the officer’s conviction for common
assault.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2403113/Pc-Rohan-Scarlettpunched-suspect-face-self-defence-spat-mouth.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-23852854
Re: Officers Taylor and Reynolds (2010) Essex (Operation Oak)
Discipline hearing under the ‘old Regulations’. Following complaints
from a victim of rape as to how her initial allegation was handled,
numerous Essex officers were put on disciplinary proceedings. This led
to a complete overhaul of how Essex police handle rape complaints.
Re: PC X (2010) Thames Valley
Appeal to the Police Appeals Tribunal. Successful appeal to the PAT
following written argument. The officer concerned was dismissed after
accepting a police caution for assaulting a vulnerable member of the
public.
Nursing and Midwifery Council
23 Essex Street London WC2R 3AA
020 7413 0353
Tom Godfrey 2003
NMC v AA (2012) [defence]
Interim Order. Successfully opposed an application for an Interim
Order.
General Social Care Council
Tom has a developing regulatory practice and has been instructed by
the GSCC to act on their behalf in a number of interim hearings.
Football Association
Tom recently appeared in front of the FA on an appeal against an
interim suspension order. The appeal was successful and is believed to
be the first of its kind.

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