Vincent Coughlin QC
Practice
Singled out by The Lawyer as being “exceptionally good“, Vincent Coughlin has been a criminal barrister for thirty one years and has an outstanding track record with a breadth of experience ranging through complex tax and revenue frauds, terrorism, homicide, corporate corruption, money laundering, gang killings, drugs importations and sexual offences. Demand for Vincent’s court style has twice led to his appearance in the legal aid top ten high earners. His practice is predominantly defence based, and his tactical know-how, jury advocacy and genuine commitment to his clients have produced results that have often confounded his opponents.
He has written on a variety of criminal topics for The Times, The Sunday Times and The Evening Standard as well as appearing on BBC’s Newsnight.
In 2008 Vincent advised the Financial Services Authority as a consultant to the Enforcement Division, advising upon their first major insider dealing ring investigation (Operation Saturn – presently awaiting trial at Southwark Crown Court), as well as building and steering a $27.5 million boiler room investigation which subsequently resulted in record sentences for three men (Tomas Wilmot and his sons, Christopher and Kevin, were subsequently sentenced to a combined total of 19 years for their part in a scam that defrauded an estimated 1,700 investors between 2003 and 2008.)
Vincent also advised on a complex and ongoing investigation into unauthorised FX trading by a major investment bank. First-hand experience of the FSA’s approach and policy towards the regulation and penalty regime for authorised persons accused of market abuse and regulatory infringement makes Vincent well placed to advise and represent those facing sanction at both corporate/ individual, wholesale/retail market level. His judgement, legal ability and experience have brought other regulatory bodies to seek his advice as to the scope and progress of investigations.
Vincent is also a door tenant at Chambers in Birmingham, Cardiff and Nottingham.
Significant Midlands Cases
R v Khamal Hanchard-Kerr: In this Wolverhampton murder, Vincent secured the acquittal of Khamal, jointly charged with his ‘Rambo’ knife-wielding seventeen year old twin brother, convicted for his attack upon three older neighbours following the escalation of earlier street confrontations involving the twins. Three deep wounds were inflicted on each of the victims by his brother, with fatal consequences for one and near fatal for the other two, within the space of a minute as they all fought before the twins made their escape. (Birmingham Crown Court – March 2011)
R v Jaspal Sandhu – Following a 4 month trial Vincent obtained not guilty verdicts for the company secretary of a key trader in a £50 million MTIC Vat fraud following a four month trial. (Operation Heyrick) (Birmingham Crown Court 2010)
R v Forsyth & Others (Nottingham Crown Court) Representing a central defendant in a nine-handed gang murder in Derby in a case involving extensive vehicle satellite tracking evidence. (2010)
R v Birring & Others (Birmingham Crown Court) Alleged laundering of the multi-million pound proceeds of an M-TIC V.A.T. fraud through high value gaming across national Casino networks. (2008)
R v Johnson & Others (Wolverhampton Crown Court) Acting for the director of a freight forwarding company in a £70 million Euro-carousel fraud (2007)
R v Lee (Stafford Crown Court) Public corruption charges arising from removal and export of tank equipment from the Donnington M.O.D. base (2005)
R v Rashid (Birmingham Crown Court) Defending solicitor charged with perverting the course of justice following an attempted gang murder (2005)
Significant Other Cases
Cardiff County Council v Peter Ridsdale, (ex-Chairman Cardiff City FC): Peter Ridsdale was in charge at Cardiff when the club launched a promotion to encourage fans to buy season tickets with the club saying that cash raised from season ticket sales in December 2009 would be spent on new players in the January 2010 transfer window, but at the end of January, the club issued a statement saying no new players would be bought. Fans complained to Trading Standards chiefs saying they had been ‘conned’. Ridsdale had twice appeared at Cardiff Magistrates court accused of fraud and breaching consumer protection regulations when Vincent was asked to step in to review and advise. After a detailed and careful review, the case was discontinued. A Cardiff council spokesperson said later: “The charges of unfair trading and fraud brought against Mr Ridsdale concerned a scheme promising supporters a full refund if the club was promoted to the Premier League and that proceeds of the scheme would be spent on players in January 2010. However, Cardiff City Football Club was under a transfer embargo at that time. On paper, there was a case to answer. However the council has recently obtained further evidence from prosecution witnesses and taken the advice of a leading Counsel. After a thorough analysis of this new evidence, and due to the reluctance of those supporters who raised concerns to provide witness statements, the Council considered that a conviction after trial was unlikely.” (September 2011)
R v S: Following the successful appeal of the ‘Cardiff Three’ for their convictions for the 1988 murder of Cardiff prostitute Lynette White, Vincent has been instructed since 2008 to represent one of the lead detectives charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice arising from an investigation that is likely to result in one of the longest and largest trials yet to be held in South Wales, being tried at Swansea Crown Court from July 2011.
R v Szalus & Ors: A failed manslaughter case coupled to a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice alleged against a group of Polish co-workers blamed for their colleague’s death, where issues relating to medical causation could not sustain the principal charge. (Winchester Crown Court – March 2011)
R v Johnson: Instructed by Criminal Appeal Registrar in ‘complex and intricate’ appeal following a group homicide in which a walking stick was forced down the victim’s throat. (2010) – Court of Appeal.
R v Jegatheeswaran & Others (Operation Osmium); Representing alleged Tamil Tiger said to have been responsible for shipping electronic and components for improvised explosive devices and military hardware to the LTTE controlled areas in Sri Lanka (2009) – Central Criminal Court
R v Mohammed Khani & Others; Defending alleged gang leader of West London street gang ‘MDP’ and his participation in a twenty-two handed revenge attack resulting in the murder of a student. (2009) – Central Criminal Court.
R v Anant Patel & Others (Operation La Fombra); Defending high profile businessman against S.O.C.A. Middle Markets Team led accusations into money laundering and drug traficking.(2009) – Southwark Crown Court.
R v Bell; Defended in a ‘baby-shaking’ allegation on an infant aged 6 months with numerous expert witnesses called on issues of causation and related medical topics. (2008) – Harrow Crown Court
R v Dana Ali; Defending an alleged participant in a Kurdish gang killing which took place at open air culture festival. (2008) – Winchester Crown Court
R v Asif Mohammed; Defending the alleged accomplice to the daylight murder and robbery of a taxi-driver. (2008) – Reading Crown Court
R v Germaine Morris; Alleged gang participant in a six-handed South London revenge attack gang murder. (2008) – Central Criminal Court.
R v Lulzim Bici; Defending the alleged getaway driver and gang member of an Albanian parking-meter turf war leaving one dead and three wounded in a night-club fire fight. (2007) – Central Criminal Court.
R v Siddall: Historic sex abuse convictions from Leeds overturned in the Court of Appeal. (2006)
R v Simpson & Others; A long term corporate corruption involving the Mars Corporation (2005) – Reading Crown Court.
R v Vass & Others; Missing trader intra-community fraud – main defendant in £80 million VAT fraud (2004) – Snaresbrook Crown Court.
R v Barnes & Others; Main defendant in largest amphetamine supply ring uncovered in South Wales (2003) – Cardiff Crown Court
R v Russell & Anor; Representing an Independent Financial Advisor involved in promoting an offshore occupational pension busting scheme (2002) – Oxford Crown Court
R v Patrick Smith & Others: Representing main defendant in longest murder trial to have run at the Old Bailey, involving the kidnap and disappearance of a London businessman (2001-2002).
Career
- 1979 – LLB (Hons) Queen Mary College, London.
- 1980 – Called to Bar (Middle Temple)
- 2003 – Appointed Queens Counsel
Memberships
- South Eastern Circuit
- Criminal Bar Association
- Financial Services Lawyers Association
- Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers
