David Walbank KC gives his ‘Review of the Year 2025’ to the Whitehall Prosecutors Group

On Thursday 4^th December 2025, David Walbank KC delivered a major lecture to senior prosecutors from across the full range of prosecution agencies and Government departments with prosecutorial functions.

The event was attended by delegates from a wide range of organisations including: the Attorney General’s Office, Serious Fraud Office, Financial Conduct Authority, HM Revenue & Customs, Crown Prosecution Service, Insolvency Service, Environment Agency, Health and Safety Executive, Information Commissioner’s Office, Service Prosecuting Agency, Bank of England, Department for Work and Pensions, Pensions Regulator, Department for Science Innovation & Technology, Security Industry Authority, Marine Management Organisation, Office for Product Safety & Standards, Independent Office for Police Conduct, HMCPSI, Law Commission, Immigration Advice Authority, Ofgem, Food Standards Authority, Care Quality Commission etc.

His ‘Review of the Year’ covered judgments handed down in the calendar year 2025, which are likely to be of particular interest to litigators specialising in financial crime: It included:

• R v Skeene & Bowers [2025] 2 Cr App R 13, on the form of indictment on charges of conspiracy to defraud
• R v Taktouk [2025] 1 WLR 4131, on fresh evidence in confiscation appeals
• El-Kouri v USA [2025] AC 845, on the double criminality rule
• R v Goncalves [2025] EWCA Crim 1260, on the proof of foreign convictions and the proper approach to character evidence
• Bilta (UK) Ltd (in liquidation) v Traditional Financial Services Ltd, on persons knowingly parties to the carrying on of business for a fraudulent purpose
• R v Perry [2025] 1 WLR 2055, on the proper construction of defence statements
• SFO v Schools [2025] EWHC 1146 (Admin), on Unexplained Wealth Orders pending the investigation of hidden assets
• Fuller v USA [2025] EWHC 1252 (Admin), on the forum bar in extradition proceedings
• R v Sharma [[2025] EWCA Crim 1122, on amendments to the indictment in the light of a submission of no case
• R v Hayes; R v Palombo [2025] 1 WLR 3553, on the demarcation between questions of fact and law in trials in the Crown Court

David Walbank KC specialises in defending charges of white-collar crime.