Practice Profile

Having particular expertise in multi-handed fraud and money laundering trials as well as serious drug-trafficking and violence cases, Roderick conducts cases either alone or as a led junior at all court levels. He has taken cases from first instance through to the Criminal Cases Review Commission and is happy to provide consistency of representation in long, serious cases by advising during the investigation stage and by appearing from the first appearance onwards.

In addition to a busy defence practice, Roderick is a Grade 3 rated advocate for the CPS (London) and frequently prosecutes multi-handed trials. He has extensive experience in the field of military law and is regularly instructed to appear before Courts Martial both in the United Kingdom and overseas. He undertakes all aspects of confiscation matters and as well as conducting immigration, deportation and Human Rights appeals.

As a keen sportsman, Roderick also has an interest in sports-related offences. He has defended rugby players against allegations of serious assaults during play and represents players before disciplinary tribunals.

Roderick was a 2004 Bar Caribbean Pro Bono Unit volunteer to Jamaica where he worked alongside local attorneys in the preparation and presentation of capital murder trials and appeals as well as other Human Rights related cases. He maintains a keen interest in this area and is happy to provide advice or representation pro bono in respect of Caribbean and other cases in the Privy Council.

Cases

Recent cases
R v. B and others (2008) –
Junior counsel instructed in a 10 week multi-handed, £multi-million drugs and money laundering conspiracy trial.

R v. A and others (2008) –
Acted as junior defence counsel in an 8-handed fraud relating to the construction contract for the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarine decontamination plant at Devonport, Plymouth.

R v. M (2007) –
Junior counsel instructed pro-bono to make submissions to the CCRC in a ‘miscarriage of justice’ case involving an educationally challenged appellant, fresh evidence and allegations of professional negligence.

R v. W-B and others (2007) –
Instructed as junior counsel for the defence in a multi-handed, £50 million ‘MTIC’ VAT fraud. Successfully argued for the prosecution to be stayed after a week-long abuse argument.

R v. Bryan and others (2006) –
Junior counsel for the defence in a London Underground privatisation / equipment fraud.

Other significant cases
R v. Gun and others ([2005] EWCA Crim 3595) –
Defence counsel instructed for the principal defendant in a Turkish people smuggling racket. Also instructed in the Court of Appeal hearing (reported) relating to procedural issues where trial spanned the implementation dates of the CJA 2003 ‘bad character’ provisions.

R v. Pruscanovic (2006) –
Successfully defended client against allegations of his having imported 35kgs of drugs into the country.