Stephen Akinsanya

Stephen was previously a member of the Turks and Caicos Islands Bar and he appeared as lead counsel in a high-profile murder trial, coroner’s inquest and regularly defended in cases there.

He recently successfully completed his LLM in International Dispute Resolution with Merit at Queen Mary’s London and advises on some aspects of arbitration and commercial disputes as well as providing a second opinion in appellate work.

Stephen has built a reputation as an approachable, conscientious professional with courteous and sensitive treatment of his solicitors and clients, both professional and lay. He has a noticeable skill of quickly putting his client at ease from the first meeting and throughout the trial process.

He provides clear practical advice and presents his client’s case with clarity and simplicity. He is regarded as a passionate and persuasive advocate.

Stephen was a visiting advocacy adviser and trainer on the annual legal workshop panel at his former University for over 5 years. He is also an accredited advocacy trainer for the Inner Temple since 2015.

Criminal defence work – Complex and serious criminal cases with particular emphasis on fraud, cross border

money laundering and alleged proceeds of criminal conduct.

Military courts martial

Advising on death row and life sentence appeals from Jamaica to the Privy Council

Advising on matters of commercial and contractual disputes and arbitration

Appearing before regulatory bodies for those accused of misconduct

Coroner’s inquests

Confiscation and cash forfeiture

Direct access accredited

Arbitration and sports disciplinary hearings

R-v- Braybrooks (Luton Crown Court)-Murder -administering heroin to friends or acquaintances) [2003] 1 Cr.App.R. (S.) 114- appeared as junior counsel

R-v- Ali (Manchester Crown Court)-Role of agent provocateur in importation of 10 kilos of heroin)- appeared as junior counsel

R-v- Nawaz (Birmingham Crown Court)-Murder of two children in revenge arson attack by rival Asian groups)-appeared as junior counsel

R -v-El Mawas (St Albans Crown Court)-False imprisonment and kidnap-Ghanaian drug gang kidnap and rape of victim. Appeared as leading counsel

R-v- Mutede (Luton Crown Court and Court of Appeal)-False instruments; Immigration offences; obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception [2005]. 2 Cr. APP.R. (S)22.

R-v- Carth (Central Criminal Court)-Murder of a former British Heavyweight boxing champion-appeared as junior counsel

R-v- Celaire (Central Criminal Court)-Murder- only the third case of double jeopardy; prosecution application to Court of Appeal to quash previous acquittal for murder; ;re-tried for murder and subsequent attempted murder; confession to both offences on first day of trial; life sentence minimum term of 23 years-appeared as junior counsel

R-v- Draper (St Albans Crown Court)-Manslaughter-Former soldier admitted manslaughter of  a friend following drug induced psychotic episode-appeared as junior counsel

Wounding with intent- successfully represented Iraq war veteran charged with two section 18 wounding offences; argued post- traumatic stress disorder following road side blast causing loss of left leg and death of two colleagues.

R-v- Ibori (Southwark Crown Court)-Junior defence counsel representing the wife of the former Governor of Delta State accused of conspiracy to defraud the Nigerian Government of 2.3 million dollars.

R- v- Ibori (Southwark Crown Court)- 2^nd junior counsel representing a former Governor of Delta State accused of a conspiracy to defraud Delta State of  $2.3 billion.

R -v- Belazaire (Supreme Court of Turks and Caicos)- Murder and rape-victim was raped and murdered before the body was destroyed by fire successfully appeared as lead counsel in the Turks and Caicos Islands taking a point of law on DNA evidence obtained from the accused-appeared as leading counsel.

R-v- Arthur ( Supreme Court of Turks and Caicos)- Armed robbery of jewellery store.

R-v- Holloway ( Luton Crown Court)- Murder- young defendant accused of being jointly responsible for a knife attack on the deceased-successfully appeared as lead counsel

R-v- Waya (Supreme Court) -Proceeds of Crime- successful appeal on behalf of a Nigerian National from the Court of Appeal before the full 9 man court-appeared as junior counsel. Most significant case in confiscation proceedings. [2012] UKSC 51 on appeal from [2010] EWCA Crim 412

R-v-Misick and others (Jeffrey Hall)(Turks and Caicos Supreme court). Corruption trial involving former Premier and Government Ministers

Re Gibson– Coroner’s inquest into the death of an 18-year-old

R-v- Obadiaru and others- (Central Criminal Court) Conspiracy to traffic women from Nigeria for the purposes of prostitution in Europe

R-v-Leka and others – (Central Criminal Court)- Murder-Successfully defended 15-year-old subsequently convicted of wounding with intent.

R-v- Anca Stefan (Conspiracy to defraud) Blackfriars Crown court
Successful acquittal in a large-scale credit card fraud by Romanian conspirators

R-v-Dean (Perverting the course of public justice) Bournemouth Crown Court
successfully defended a successful and prominent businessman accused of naming a dead friend as the driver of his vehicle.

R-v- Okoro– (Central Criminal Court) – NHS Dr convicted partially on counts of possessing extreme pornography and an indecent image of a child. Suspended sentence

UKAD-v- Slowey– Successfully represented former Scottish Featherweight boxing Champion at a sports arbitration hearing following an interim ban for using Cocaine out of competition. Successfully argued for a reduction to the mandatory sentence after arguing ‘no significant fault’ – 4 year ban reduced to 2 years.

R-v- Richards (Central Criminal Court)- Murder- Defendant acquitted of the murder of rapper Mdot

R-v- Roye (Croydon Crown Court)- Attempted murder- Successfully defended a 13-year-old defendant

R-v- Lodge Guy(Inner London Crown Court)- Conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm- Successfully defended an 18 year old defendant

R-v Zvavamwe(Central Criminal Court) Manslaughter- Successfully defended  an 18 year old defendant

R-v-Brooker(Canterbury Crown Court) – Historic sexual abuse- Defended 70 year old Father –in- law accused on 17 count indictment

R-v Campbell(Central Criminal Court) – Murder-Clapham South tube-Successfully defended 19 year old defendant.

R-v- Nguyen(Wood Green Crown Court) –Attempted murder-Successfully defended a Vietnamese chef.

R-v- Malinowski(Kingston Crown Court)- 16 week trial involving a Conspiracy to evade the prohibition on the exportation of a controlled drugs of Class A.(street value £45 million)-Successfully represented a Polish defendant.

UKAD –v- Grady– Successfully represented professional basketball player at a sports arbitration hearing facing a four-year ban for a drug violation.

Advising a former F1 driving on a contractual dispute

Advising a UK Chemical Company on contractual and related issues and on merger/acquisition by an industry “giant”

Advising a Turks and Caicos company on a private prosecution of a former director