Paul Evans

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“He is a persuasive advocate both orally and on paper with an eye to detail and the capacity to assimilate large volumes of evidence. He is very experienced in dealing with vulnerable witnesses both in and out of the courtroom. He works well with others and has a keen sense of humour, though it is never misplaced in the court room.”
Legal 500 (2024)
“Leading individual (Tier 2) in Legal 500 for five years.”
“Paul is extremely keen and passionate about the work.”
Legal 500 (2023)
“Paul is a top quality junior with very good work. Fantastic client skills. Smooth, calm and professional court manner. Excellent all round.”
Legal 500 (2022)
“Strong advocacy and can be given the responsibility of holding the reins in big and difficult cases. Excellent communication skills particularly with instructing solicitors. Huge appetite for work and manages to balance a very large caseload. Just great to work with.”
Legal 500 (2021)

Personal profile

Paul is an accomplished and highly regarded barrister, who prosecutes and defends in cases of Serious & Organised Crime. He covers the whole criminal spectrum including Murder & Manslaughter, Sexual Offences, Drugs Offences, Serious Violence and Human Trafficking.

Paul is frequently sought out for highly sensitive and complex matters, and is forensically astute in dealing with extremely difficult legal issues.

Recommendations

He is a persuasive advocate both orally and on paper with an eye to detail and the capacity to assimilate large volumes of evidence. He is very experienced in dealing with vulnerable witnesses both in and out of the courtroom. He works well with others and has a keen sense of humour, though it is never misplaced in the court room.

― Legal 500 (2024)

Leading individual (Tier 2) in Legal 500 for five years.

Paul is extremely keen and passionate about the work.

― Legal 500 (2023)

Paul is a top quality junior with very good work. Fantastic client skills. Smooth, calm and professional court manner. Excellent all round.

― Legal 500 (2022)

Strong advocacy and can be given the responsibility of holding the reins in big and difficult cases. Excellent communication skills particularly with instructing solicitors. Huge appetite for work and manages to balance a very large caseload. Just great to work with.

― Legal 500 (2021)

Very good at managing a complex disclosure exercise in a high-profile case.”

― Legal 500 (2020)

He has the knack of controlling and organising multi-handed cases.

― Legal 500 (2019)

Sexual Offences

Paul practices in all areas of Sexual Offences crime and has extensive experience in managing complex disclosure issues in large-scale, serious matters. Whether defending or prosecuting, Paul’s cases demonstrate a real ability to master vast quantities of information, often under the pressure of time.

Featured cases

R v P (2021) – Instructed to prosecute a man for rape of his two sisters. The abuse took place between 2010–2017, when the defendant was aged 16–23-years-old, and his sisters aged between five and nine, and nine and 16-years-old.
R v J (2021) – Led by Nicolas Corsellis QC, instructed to prosecute a scout leader and school groundsman on a 39-count indictment for rape/sexual abuse on six boys over a 30-year span, including specific/multiple instance counts contrary to 1956, 1960, and 2003 legislation, covering 11 statutory offences.
R v R (2020) – Instructed to prosecute a man on a 52-count indictment for the rape of his wife and six female friends. The defendant had 21,000 images and 600+ videos hidden on his phone, showing unconscious females having sexual and degrading acts performed upon them. The offences occurred over an eight-and-a-half-year period. Paul was awarded the Metropolitan Police Commander’s Commendation as a result of “outstanding” work on this case.
R v M (2019) – Instructed to defend in a multi-handed stranger rape. The defendant was caught penetrating the complainant and ran when interrupted.
R v L (2019) – Led by Rosina Cottage QC. Instructed to prosecute a former police officer for rape and other serious sexual offences upon children in care in the 1970s and 1980s. The trial involved multiple abuse arguments, including legitimate expectation arising from correspondence in which the defendant was told he would not be prosecuted 39 years prior to trial, and following three previous police investigations, which included an 18-month investigation leading to a full DPP review. The inability to establish an abuse led to the defence unsuccessfully pursuing a Nolle Prosequi.
R v S (2019) – Instructed to prosecute a carer for repeated rape of patient who suffered from mental health and mobility issues.
R v T (2018) – Instructed to defend a paramedic for multiple-incident, sexual abuse of boy.
R v G (2018) – Instructed to defend a godparent for repeated rape of two children, witnessed by a 12-year-old autistic boy.
R v P-S (2018) – Instructed to prosecute a man for sexual violence on a six-year-old child of an American celebrity. Introduced character relating to previous, unproven allegations.
R v D (2018) – Instructed to defend a high-ranking ex-police officer with sexual assault upon three women.
R v D-K (2017) – Instructed to defend in a stranger rape in which defendant had significant mental health issues.
R v S (2017) – Instructed to prosecute a multiple-incident, inter-familial rape.
R v D (2017) – Instructed to defend a 90-year-old man for multi-incident rape on his niece from 50 years previously. The defendant was in poor physical health with failing memory.
Operation Wombarra (2017) – Led by Jeremy Benson QC. Instructed to defend a brothel owner charged with controlling prostitution for gain, fraud and allegations of sexual violence upon prostitutes.
Operation Barzini (2016) – Led by Rosina Cottage QC. Instructed to prosecute in a 12-defendant, 62-count, paedophile ring indictment alleging over 20 multiple incident rapes and attempted rapes; trafficking for sexual exploitation; arranging/facilitating child prostitution; causing a child to engage in sexual activity; penetrative and non-penetrative sexual activity with a child; and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. [Press Report]
R v C (2016) – Instructed to prosecute a husband accused of imprisoning, raping and torturing his wife.
R v B (2015) – Instructed to prosecute a 19-count indictment for rape and other serious, historical and recent sexual offences against five family members and one young family friend. The case involved an enormous volume of historical third party records from eight service providers.
R v S and JS (2015) – Instructed to defend the lead defendant who faced allegations of attempted rape and false imprisonment.
R v UA (2015) – Instructed to defend a taxi driver accused of attempting to rape passenger.
R v S (2015) – Instructed to prosecute allegations of non-recent, repeated rape of young girl in an abandoned toilet having used social networking to groom.
Op. Amazon and Op. Bibb (2014) – Instructed to prosecute a social networking predator (a doctor) charged with a variety of 2003 SOA offences, involving long running and complex covert internet investigations, investigated by Child Protection Command concerning on-going sexual abuse of children.

Murder & Manslaughter

Paul has had considerable experience of defending and prosecuting Murder & Manslaughter cases.

Featured cases

R v W (2021) – Led by Ed Vickers QC and instructed to represent the defendant for murder. Following an assault in September 2006, the victim was left in a vegetative state until he passed away in August 2019.

R v K (2020) – Led by Rosina Cottage QC and instructed to represent the defendant accused of murdering his wife, and attempting to murder his nine-year-old nephew, as a result of an organic personality disorder.

R v M (2018) – Led by Ed Vickers QC and instructed to represent the defendant for gang-related murder.

Operation Barbet (2017) – Led by Jeremy Benson QC and instructed to represent the defendant in an allegation of murder.

Operation Malinbridge (2016) – Led by Riel Karmy-Jones QC and instructed to prosecute the fatal stabbing of a young man on a West London housing estate. The trial involved issues of self-defence and loss of control. [Press Report]

R v E and M (2016) – Instructed to prosecute a mother and father for child cruelty against their six-week-old baby for most of its life. The injuries included limb breaks, long bone fractures and joint dislocation and were comparable to swinging the baby by his limbs. The case involved extensive paediatric medical evidence (relating to age of injury and the measure of force used) and social services records.

R v M (2016) – Led by Riel Karmy-Jones QC and instructed to prosecute the murders of two vulnerable adults in a residential care home caused by multiple stab wounds. Relevant issues included complex questions on diminished responsibility following an assessment of Mallin by four eminent mental health experts. [Press Report]

Serious Violence

Paul has had considerable experience of defending and prosecuting Serious Violence cases.

Featured cases

R v H (2020) – Instructed to defend a man for the abduction of three children.
R v B & W (2018) – Instructed to defend the first defendant (president of international motorcycle club) in a multi-handed, gang-related s18. The complainant was blinded.
Operation Ava (2016) – Instructed to prosecute eight defendants involved in large-scale football violence following a high-profile football match.
R v B (and others) (2016) – Instructed to prosecute a series of armed robberies in which ATM attendants were targeted, large quantities of cash stolen and subsequently laundered through East London betting shops.
R v JS (and others) (2015) – Instructed to defend the lead defendant in a violent disorder where it was alleged that 50 men travelled from the Midlands to London to engage in serious, religiously motivated, extreme violence.

Fraud

Paul has had considerable experience of defending and prosecuting Fraud cases.

Featured cases

Operation Gage (2017) – Instructed to defend a wife who faced allegations of banking and property fraud who acted under duress from her husband.
Operation Aigrette (2013) – Instructed to defend one of the lead money-laundering suspects in a six-month trial of £103m conspiracy to import Class A drugs, described by the Serious Organised Crime Agency as the largest importation of heroin from India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
R v A (2013) – Instructed to defend the first defendant in a cut-throat defence in a multi-handed multiple mortgage conspiracy to defraud.
Operation Saisir (2012) – Led by Richard Christie QC for the lead defendant in a ‘Crash for Cash’ conspiracy to defraud approximately £6m involving over 250 staged accidents and exaggerated claims and more than 154k pages of complex evidence.
R v R (2012) – Instructed to defend in an eight-handed £30m credit card fraud. The defendant was also charged with offences linked to kidnapping, false imprisonment and torture. No evidence was offered after a five-week abuse argument regarding complex and multifaceted disclosure issues concerning the international financial industry, APACs and the DCPU.

Drugs Offences

Paul has had considerable experience of defending and prosecuting Drugs Offences.

Featured cases

R v A, K, W (2018) – Led by Kate Bex QC and instructed to prosecute three men for trafficking children and vulnerable adults for county lines drug supply. Case was the first of its kind using trafficking law.
R v B and C (2015) – Instructed to prosecute a commercial supply of several kilos of cocaine of high purity level, following covert police operation.
R v M (2014) – Instructed to defend the importation of large quantities of cocaine by strapping the drug round their body.
R v V (2014) – Instructed to defend the importation of cannabis concealed in the bodywork and frames of imported cars.
R v V (2014) – Instructed to prosecute a notorious West-End nightclub drug dealer following a targeted, covert surveillance police operation.

Serious & Organised Crime

Paul has had considerable experience of defending and prosecuting Serious & Organised Crime cases.

Featured cases

R v M and seven others (2019) – Instructed to defend a prominent defendant in a seven-week trial, on indictment alleging fraudulent evasion of duty.
R v H and three others (2018) – Instructed to represent the first defendant in a multi-handed conspiracy to supply firearms and drugs, following covert police operation.
R v H and four others (2018) – Instructed to represent the first defendant in a multi-handed conspiracy to defraud, involving brokers selling forged or invalid discounted insurance policies to unsuspecting taxi drivers.

Appeals

Paul has experience of acting on behalf of and advising both appellants and respondents in the Court of Appeal.

Featured cases

R v A, K, W (2018) – Led by Kate Bex QC and appearing for the Crown in an appeal concerning trafficking of children and vulnerable adults for county lines drug supply.
R v B (2019) – Appearing for the appellant concerning length of sentence imposed for misconduct in public office and related offences.
R v D-K (2017) – Appearing for the appellant concerning the length of sentence for sexual offences.
R v E and M (2017) – Appearing for the respondent concerning the sentence imposed for child cruelty.
R v H (2015) – Appearing for the respondent concerning the appeal conviction.
R v N (2013) – Appearing for the appellant concerning the length of sentence in a ‘Crash for Cash’ conspiracy.
Dame Linda Dobbs Review – Instructed as part of the core team of counsel in the Dame Linda Dobbs Review, set up to examine whether issues relating to HBOS Reading were investigated and appropriately reported to authorities at the time by LBG, following its acquisition of HBOS.