Tim has over 35 years’ criminal experience, having prosecuted and defended in a wide variety of serious cases. During the last ten years he has specialised in defence work. He has acted as both leading junior and junior counsel both in London and across the country, in cases of murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, rape, sexual offences, serious drug offences, armed robbery, blackmail and fraud.

Tim is also qualified to undertake Public Access work.

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Qualifications

BA (Hons) Law
Public Access Qualified

Professional Associations

Criminal Bar Association
South Eastern Circuit

Current Cases

R v SF – Tim is currently acting as Leading counsel in a major multi- handed drugs conspiracy case. The trial started in February 2023 and is due to end in October 2023. Wood Green Crown Court.

Notable Cases

MURDER / ATTEMPTED MURDER          

R v AN- Defended in a murder trial. The case involved the issue of whether a conviction of the defendant in a foreign jurisdiction (Attempted Murder in Lithuania) was admissible.

R v KA –Instructed as Leading junior for defendant charged with murder.  The prosecution eventually offered no evidence against the client. Maidstone Crown Court.

R v AS – Instructed as junior counsel in a lengthy murder trial. The client was charged with the murder of her younger husband. It was alleged that she had counselled and procured her eldest son to commit the offence. The jury found the defendant not guilty of all charges. Central Criminal Court.

R v BA – Represented a defendant charged with manslaughter. The defendant acting with consent injected heroin into the victim. The case involved difficult and unusual issues of law. Central Criminal Court.

R v A -Instructed to represent a defendant on a charge of attempted murder. The case involved a brutal attack on a Nepalese youth. Reading Crown Court.

CASES OF VIOLENCE / FIREARMS / SERIOUS PUBLIC DISORDER

R v NS – Represented one of a large group of defendants charged with various conspiracies to cause grievous bodily harm and possess firearms with intent.  A number of wealthy businessmen had fallen out over large sums of money owed. The case concerned their attempts to hire hitmen to settle their differences. Tim’s client was acquitted. Birmingham Crown Court.

R v SD –Defended in a serious firearms case.  A large number of weapons were secreted in the defendant’s home and garden. The case involved difficult issues concerning disclosure. The jury returned not guilty verdicts on all counts. Harrow Crown Court.

R v Z – Successfully defended a “letting agent” charged with offences of violence in relation to her tenants. Harrow Crown Court.

R v N- Defended a mortgage broker charged with a serious “glassing” offence. Southwark Crown Court.

R v N- Instructed as Leading Junior in a trial which involved a series of professionally planned armed robberies of post offices and jewellers. Reading Crown Court.

RAPE AND OTHER SERIOUS SEXUAL OFFENCES

R v GD- Successful acquittal of former karate champion who faced historical sexual allegations from his niece Kingston Crown court.

R v M –Defended in a “gang rape” case. Tim’s client was the only defendant found not guilty. Central Criminal Court.

R v DS- Successfully represented a defendant in a high- profile gang rape case. Wood Green Crown Court.

R v R –Defended in a multiple victim rape case. The case involved dealing with complicated issues of “cross – admissibility. Snaresbrook Crown Court.

R v EL- Defended in a rape case. D was alleged to have raped his ex-wife. Following cross-examination of the complainant the trial was aborted in order for some of her evidence to be checked. Once this had been done it was established that the evidence of the complainant could not be relied upon. The prosecution eventually offered no evidence. Snaresbrook Crown Court.

R v AT –Defended an employee of “Travelodge” who was charged with a sexual assault on a customer. Not Guilty verdict. Kingston Crown Court

R v Cpl M – Successfully defended a Corporal charged with assaulting a private. This was the seventh defence trial Tim has conducted at the Court Martial Centre in Germany. Tim has never lost a Court- Martial trial.

R v DA – Successfully defended an American citizen charged with sexual offences on a family member. Wood Green Crown Court.

R v B – Defended in a very grave case involving serious sexual offences against a child aged four. The case involved very careful planning and preparation of cross-examination. There were very complex issues in relation to hearsay.

R v O – Instructed to defend a carer charged with various sexual offences against mentally disordered patients. Tim’s client was the only defendant to be acquitted. Kingston Crown Court.

DRUG OFFENCES

R v P –Instructed as Leading defence junior to represent a German national charged with conspiracy to supply heroin valued in excess of £1 million pounds. The case was complex and involved difficult tactical issues. Harrow Crown Court.

R v S –Defended a man charged with twenty others in a substantial case of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. The conspiracy involved targeting the major drug dealers in a number of towns in Surrey. Guildford Crown Court.

R v BZ –Represented a Turkish national charged with running a huge drugs importation business. The trial lasted almost 2 months. Wood Green Crown Court.

R v W- Successfully defended in a serious case alleging conspiracy to supply a large quantity of Class A drugs. Despite the strength of the evidence the jury returned a Not Guilty verdict. Kingston Crown Court.

FRAUD

R v SD –Obtained a Not Guilty verdict for a bank manager charged with fraud against Santander bank. The case involved a “cut throat” defence with a fellow employee. Central Criminal Court.

R v S – Instructed to represent a client charged with a massive property fraud. The case involved highly unusual and complicated issues concerning the Egyptian property market. Sheffield Crown Court.

R v EP – Represented one of seventeen defendants all charged with a series of customer impersonation frauds. The total value of the fraud was 4 million sterling . The defendant was a high- ranking employee at the bank. Southwark Crown court.

R v O – Tim obtained a favourable verdict in a complicated fraud against a casino. The defendant was an employee who allegedly conspired with a fellow employee and a customer to defraud the casino. Southwark Crown Court.

R v T – Defended in a fraud against the Royal Albert Hall. A submission of no case to answer was successful. Isleworth Crown Court.

MISCELLANEOUS / OTHER OFFENCES

Tim covers all offences within the criminal calendar. A brief summary is contained below.

R v L – Leading counsel for the defence in a serious and complicated conspiracy to commit arson. Reading Crown Court.

R v P- Appeared for the defence in a complicated kidnapping case. The case involved careful analysis of detailed cell site evidence. Lincoln Crown Court.

R v S – Represented one of the main defendants in a multi- handed case involving prostitution and money laundering. Southwark Crown Court.

R v L –  Leading counsel for the defence in a serious and complicated conspiracy to commit arson. D was acquitted of the M1 Arson- an allegation of causing £4.5 million in damage to the M1 motorway. Wood Green Crown Court.

R v S – Instructed to defend in a substantial conspiracy to convey prohibited articles into prison. One of the defendants in the conspiracy was a solicitor. Oxford Crown Court.

R v T – Instructed to represent a defendant charged with arson. Originally, he had been charged with drink driving. The defendant was accused of setting fire to the laboratory in which his blood sample was stored. Central Criminal Court.

R v S – Successfully defended a senior prison officer charged with two separate assaults on a prisoner. The defendant was also charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. He was said to have influenced junior officers to falsify important paperwork in order to cover his tracks. The case involved detailed cross- examination of a fellow prison officer. D was found Not Guilty on all counts. Oxford Crown Court.

R v P – P, a female member of the military was accused of sexual assault against another female soldier, and former friend. The case is the seventh defence trial Tim has conducted at the Court Martial Centre in Sennelager, Germany. He has never lost a Court Martial trial. An interesting case factually, the complainant, a married woman had reported her fantasies about lesbian relationships. She also requested, before the allegation took place, to visit a strip club and swingers club, before returning with P to share a bedroom, by pre-arrangement at a mutual friends home. She later accused P of sexual assault. July 2016 Sennelager.

R v MT – Tim Banks secured the acquittal of his client, MT. MT was charged with the attempted murder of his former mistress after she poured a glass of wine over his head in a pub. Twenty minutes later MT was said to have driven his car at the lone female causing catastrophic injuries. Several other customers witnessed the event. The jury at Isleworth Crown Court acquitted MT of attempted murder.

R v RS – Successful defence of RS, a wealthy 79 year old man faced with historical sexual offences. His stepdaughter and stepson accused him of systematically abusing them over a 3 year period when they were children. The stepson also accused him of attempted buggery.

R v Cpl M – Successfully defended a Corporal charged with assaulting a private. This case was the sixth defence trial Tim has conducted at the Court Martial Centre in Germany.

R v PO – Defended a serving prisoner charged with assaulting three prison officers. Despite overwhelming evidence, the jury acquitted the defendant on all charges. April 2016, Maidstone Crown Court.

R v AT – Defended an employee of ‘Travelodge’ who was charged with sexual assault on a customer. Not Guilty verdict. March 2016, Kingston Crown Court.

R v SD – Obtained a Not Guilty verdict for a Santander bank manager charged with fraud. The case involved a “cut-throat” defence with a fellow employee of the same bank. February 2016, Central Criminal Court.

R v EL – Defended in a rape case. D was alleged to have raped his ex-wife. Following cross-examination of the complainant the trial had to be aborted in order for some of her evidence to be checked. Once this was done, it was established that the evidence of the complainant could not be relied upon. The prosecution eventually offered no evidence. January 2016, Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Represented a defendant charged with manslaughter. The defendant had with consent injected heroin into the victim. The case involved difficult and unusual issues of law.

Instructed to represent a woman who was charged with the murder of her husband. The defendant was alleged to have counselled and procured her son to commit the offence.

Instructed to represent a defendant charged with arson. Originally he had been charged with drink driving. The defendant was accused of setting fire to the laboratory in which his blood sample was stored.

Represented a Turkish defendant charged with a substantial conspiracy to supply heroin to the value of £1 million pounds. The trial ran for some nine weeks.

Instructed as leading defence junior in a trial which involved a series of professionally-planned armed robberies of post offices and jewellers.

Instructed as leading defence junior to represent a German national charged with conspiracy to supply heroin. The case was both extensive and complex and involved difficult tactical issues. The trial lasted approximately seven weeks.