Bernard Tetlow QC
Year of Call: 1984 BA LLM
Affiliations: Public Access Bar Assn
Appointments: The List of Lead Defence Counsel at The Special Tribunal for Lebanon in The Hague
Specialist Areas: General Crime, Serious Crime, Homicide, Serious Violent Offences, Firearms, Large Drugs Related Offences, Terrorism, Confiscation, Restraint & Asset Recovery Proceedings, Serious Fraud & White Collar Crime, MTIC Fraud , Commercial Crime, Money Laundering, DTI Offences, Regulatory & Compliance Work, Health & Safety, Miscarriages of Justice, Public Enquiries, Extradition, Appellate Work
BiographyBernard Tetlow QC specialises in all aspects of serious crime. He has defended in many high profile cases of murder and serious crime. He has particular expertise in fraud and has defended in some of the largest MTIC, carousel and excise duty cases.
He has recently been admitted to the list of lead defence counsel at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon at The Hague.
He is committed to advocacy training and has taught at the Keble Advanced International Advocacy Course, The International Criminal Tribunal and in Tanzania.
He has the following areas of expertise:
Murder and other violent offences
Fraud
Asset confiscation
Serious organised crime
White collar crime
International Crime
Regulatory and Disciplinary
RECOMMENDATIONS
“ An extremely effective and persuasive advocate with both Judge and Jury”
“ A brilliant speech maker and powerful cross-examiner. You definitely want him on your side”
“ Very quick to see the key points in even the most complex of frauds”
“ A talented and fearless advocate”
“ Superb advocacy skills combined with a common sense approach and a down to earth nature”
“ Great with clients and a natural team leader”
CasesMURDER AND OTHER VIOLENT OFFENCES
R v Hughes . Gang related conspiracy to murder involving use of a Mach 10 sub-machine gun. The nine defendant trial lasted 5 months and generated national press publicity.
R v Fraser. 2 month Old Bailey knife murder reported extensively in Evening Standard
R v Robinson. Murder of former soldier by beating and drowning in river Cam
R v Bradley. Contract killing by shooting involving complex cell site and DNA evidence)
R v Campbell. Old Bailey. Drug related gang land killing
R v Douglas. Old Bailey. 16 year old girl charged with murder by stabbing with a pin tail comb.
R v Georgiou. Attempted murder by shooting. Client was rap artist K coke.
R v Dyer. Old Bailey. Attempted murder. Defendant allegedly pushed victim off 25 foot balcony causing severe injuries and permanent brain damage.
R v Gallagher. Defendant murdered his mother and then cut out vital organs. Successful defence of diminished responsibility.
R v Osagie. 16 year old charged with attempted murder/S.18 arising out of gang related violence and stabbing)
R v Sharpe 16 year old charged with attempted murder
R v Hadfield Armed robbery of a Securicor van
R v Ford. Double attempted murder by shooting arising out of drug dealing
R v Bagga Drug related conspiracy to murder/ GBH and Kidnap at the Old Bailey.
FRAUD
R v Leahy. Represented the main defendant in this 50 million pound diversion fraud centred on London City Bond which resulted in an 8 month trial. The conviction was overturned on appeal when it was discovered that Customs were operating LCB as an undisclosed "honey trap"
R v Hening. Leading Counsel for the mastermind of a 54million mobile phone VAT carousel fraud (MTIC)
R v Iqbal Leading counsel for first defendant in a trial involving fraud on a Government department (Dfes) arising out of the tax payer funded ILA scheme. The case generated national press publicity and questions about the ILA scheme in parliament.
R v Conrad. £100,000,000 fraud involving commercial and residential mortgages and a VAT reclaim fraud.
R v Horey. Defended one of a gang in this £15,000,0000 excise and VAT fraud at Southwark Crown Court
R v Turner. Leading counsel for first defendant in a multi million pound excise duty fraud)
R v Liiv . Counsel for defendant in large scale internet banking (phishing) fraud)
R v Bott . Represented a property developer in multi-million pound mortgage fraud by property developers, mortgage brokers and valuers)
R v Okubote. Large scale mortgage fraud by mortgage broker.
R v Rankine. Large drug related money laundering case which involved taking legal point on interpretation of Criminal Justice Act. We successfully argued the point all the way to the House of Lords.
R v Boparai Conspiracy to defraud using insider information from bank employees and the kidnapping of a solicitor to carry out the fraud.
OTHER SERIOUS CRIME
R v Niazi. Major people trafficking case involving large scale importing of young men from Afghanistan with connections to the Taleban.
R v Rowlands. Defended head of an organised crime group on money laundering and class A drugs conspiracy
R v Wilson. Multi-handed Class A drug trafficking case involving large scale covert police operation
R v Williams. Central Criminal Couret. Drug trafficking of 50kg of cocaine robbed at gunpoint by one gang of drug dealers from another.
R v Erdogan . Class A importations from Turkey by a gang already serving sentences for drug trafficking
R v Kwaekbenjarkan. Multi-handed trafficking of prostitutes from Thailand
HOUSE OF LORDS/COURT OF APPEAL
R. v Montila & Others [2005] (House of Lords - Argued point on interpretation of proceeds of crime provisions at preparatory hearing which we won (Rankine and others). House of Lords upheld the original ruling)
R v Little Court of Appeal - Conviction appeal in major drug trafficking case where it was successfully argued that the conviction should be quashed because of non-disclosure notwithstanding a guilty plea at trial
R v Sliney Court of Appeal - Reverse burdens in trademark case
R v Ford Court of Appeal - New tariff set for sentencing in cases of attempted murder using a handgun
R v Leahy Court of Appeal -Successful conviction appeal in diversion fraud which exposed malpractice at HMRC.