Stephen Solley QC

e: Stephen.Solley@charterchambers.com

Year of Call: 1969 LLB

Year of Silk: 1989

Affiliations: European Criminal Bar Association , International Bar Association, Howard League for Penal Reform

Appointments: Recorder - Sitting at Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, DTI (as was) Inspector on Insider Dealing Inquiries

Specialist Areas: Serious Crime, Homicide, Serious Violent Offences, Firearms, Large Drugs Related Offences, Terrorism, Serious Fraud & White Collar Crime

For a selcted list of Stephen Solley's cases please click here.

Stephen Solley is a criminal law specialist, former chair of the Bar Human Rights Committee (1999-2002) and a Queen’s Counsel since 1989. His portfolio encompasses the gravest of cases over a wide spectrum of specialities, including:

Political/alleged terrorist crime (From the Brighton Bombers to "Red Mercury" Dirty Bomb plots)
Corporate manslaughter/health and safety (From the captain of the Herald of Free Enterprise to railway manslaughter)
Environmental offences (From the Petrus Oil Company case to the Landfill Tax Fraud)
Complex fraud (From BCCI to the Hungarian National Bank fraud)
Insider trading, ramping etc (From the City Slickers to security printers)
Murder and drugs (From the Reading torture murder to Mr Nice)
Criminal Cases Review Commission cases
House of Lords leading cases
High profile defendants (From Howard Marks to Richard Madeley, via Craig Charles)

Stephen has particular expertise in the area of international human rights, with an emphasis on rule of law issues sometimes involving submissions to the European Court of Human Rights at Strasbourg.

RECOMMENDATIONS
"Understands how to get his message across in a powerful way." - Chambers Directory 2011
"Praised for his excellent work advising on terrorist cases." - The Legal 500 2011
"Has the common touch, and the rare ability to simplify" - Chambers UK 2009
"A flamboyant and wonderful character" - Chambers UK 2008
Recommended for Crime and Fraud in Chambers UK Guide.

INTERESTS
Appeared in TV programmes about Insider Dealing and Fraud.
Member of the Board of the Hackney Empire Theatre.

Stephen most recently secured a triumphant acquittal against the SFO in the Imperial Consolidated case, after a 3 year battle of trial and re-trial.

POLITICAL/ALLEGED TERRORIST CRIME
R v Sherry (Brighton Provisional IRA Bombings)
R v Keenan (Chief of Staff Provisional IRA)
R v Merdad Kokabi (Iranian activist on bombing charges, a leading authority on abuse of process and state interference with due process)
R v Dominic Martin (Successful defence in News of World "Dirty Bomb" plot case: allegations under the Terrorism Act, Fake Sheikh as main witness and issues of entrapment and credibility)

CORPORATE MANSLAUGHTER/HEALTH AND SAFETY
R v Lewry (Defence of the Captain of the Herald of Free Enterprise)
R v Swain (Railway manslaughter allegation against “guiding hand”)

ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME
R v Interline [UK] (Petrus Oils, successful defence of company against full weight of Environment Agency, leading to exemplary costs against them)
R v Watts and others (Fraud case concerning the Landfill Tax, its uses and abuses)
R v Somerfield Supermarkets (Regulatory offences)

FRAUD
BCCI (Defence of Mohammed Baqi)
R v Victor Gray (Owner of Savings Bank in Isle of Man that collapsed owing tens of millions. Successful abuse of process application)
R v Harris (Defence of senior solicitor on perjury, conspiracy to pervert allegations)
R v Bell (Defence of senior solicitor on alleged fraud on trustee in bankruptcy)
R v Crow (Hungarian National Bank fraud)
Several huge duty and VAT frauds.

INSIDER TRADING, SHARE OFFENCES ETC.
R v Anil Bhoyrul (City Slicker, Daily Mirror columnist, accused of “ramping”)
R v Payne (Security printer)
Chairman, Insider Dealing enquiries for DTI

MURDER, RAPE
Too many to set out here, but most recently,
R v Johnson (The Reading murder/torture of 2 girls)
Defence of Craig Charles [Red Dwarf, Coronation Street] (Rape allegations)

DRUGS
Double defence of Howard Marks (Mr Nice -  both when first arrested in early 70’s, and subsequently after his “kidnap” and extended period of freedom, at his main trial at the Old Bailey)
R v Adamson (Alleged Manchester underwriter of massive cocaine importation on rogue Boeing 707, landing Southend airport)

HOUSE OF LORDS
R v Clingham – House of Lords (Leading authority on ASBOs)
R v Jones – House of Lords (Leading authority on Jury trial/absence of defendant)

PUBLIC LAW
R v Dr M (Health Authority Trust)
Dr O, ex-p N (Issues of competence and enforced medical care)
R v Ch Con South Wales ex- p Thorpe (Rights of paedophiles re community)

OTHERS
Representing doctors at criminal trial: R v Dr Green (Allegations of gravest impropriety)
Court of Appeal referrals in Miscarriage of Justice cases: R v Twitchell (West Mid police torture and confession case)
Representing MED TV, Kurdish channel, before the Independent Television /broadcasting Commission.
Representation before the Jockey Club, the British Greyhound Racing Board 

Author of advocacy section in Oxford University Press Publication “The Criminal Justice Process”.