Adrian Reynolds
Born 1958
Educated Hertford College, Oxford MA
City University Diploma Law
Called 1982
Recorder 2000
Adrian Reynolds is one of the pre-eminent junior barristers on the Midland Circuit. In the 2010 Chambers guide to the legal profession, he was said to be “enormously respected by judges” due to his “assured manner and excellent arguments”. He has a wealth of experience in all forms of crime from murder and manslaughter to serious sexual offences and fraud. He is particularly valued by Defence Solicitors for the clear and straightforward advice he gives, and is often asked to deal with their most difficult clients. His advocacy in front of juries is noted for trenchant cross-examination and powerful closing speeches. Although at present his practice is mainly Defence oriented, he has in the past prosecuted for CPS, HMRC, the Health and Safety Executive, and he currently undertakes all major prosecutions on behalf of Nottingham County Council.
Recent cases of note include:
R v Andrews and Kelly – the killing of 14 year old Danielle Beccan, the victim of gang warfare.
R v Sheikh and Ahmed – a case in which a high-profile dentist was alleged to have defrauded the NHS of millions of pounds.
R v Bacon and others – a four handed murder in which the wife and son of the victim were accused of hiring a “hit-man” to kill him.
R v Hilton, Christian and others – a 6-handed prosecution of a team of “builders” who persuaded elderly people to have work done on their homes which was unnecessary. The case arose, in part, out of a television programme called “Rogue Traders”. Adrian was consulted by Nottingham trading standards to advise on whom to charge, what evidence to gather, and to conduct the Prosecution from beginning to end.
R v Peter Smith – the murder of the Defendant’s elderly neighbour who had recently changed her will to name him as beneficiary. Having been convicted at trial, the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction after a three day hearing involving lengthy analysis of fingerprint evidence. The case will be re-tried in November 2011.
R v Abraham Liburd – a case in which a six month old baby was taken to hospital with severe brain injuries which the Prosecution allege were caused by being shaken by the Defendant, his father. The case, which is yet to come to trial, involves highly complex expert medical evidence and very difficult issues of law where the case is dependent on medical evidence alone.
It should be noted that whilst this list of cases necessarily mentions the most high profile matters that Adrian has been involved in, he deals with hundreds of cases each year involving drugs, robberies, violence and sexual offences. He can invariably be relied on to secure the best result possible for a client whether it be in terms of what to plead to, avoiding a prison sentence of securing the shortest sentence possible.
