Graeme Knight
Year of Call 1999

 

Graeme Knight is an accomplished advocate, experienced in all aspects of criminal law. He is regularly instructed in some of the most serious cases in the English courts.

Trial experience includes:

• Homicide and serious violence
• Large-scale importation and supply of drugs
• Financial white collar fraud
• Kidnap and false imprisonment
• Rape and serious sexual offence

A leading junior, he is instructed to act as leading junior counsel as well as junior counsel alone in serious and complex multi-handed criminal cases. He has particular expertise in cases of conspiracy and an outstanding record of success in trials of drug trafficking, gang related violence and youth crime.

Graeme is based in London, although his practice extends to the South of England and the Midlands.

He undertakes instructions in all areas of criminal defence, including firearms, armed robbery, riot and large-scale public disorder; with broad experience of fraud, breach of Copyright and Trade Mark infringements.

Graeme is regularly instructed by the Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute offences of serious violence, drugs importation and supply, fraud and dishonesty. He also undertakes prosecutions on behalf of the Probation Service and Prison Security Services.

His regulatory work includes advising Trading Standards, nationally, in relation to civil and criminal complainants, and the Office of Fair Trading.
In addition he has been instructed to represent professional clients at the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal.

Graeme undertakes cases for Judicial Review.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Qualified to receive instructions through direct public access.
• Appointed to the CPS Advocate Panel at Level 3.
• Accredited Advocacy Trainer for the Middle Temple.
• Panel member on the Legal Services Commission Appeals Tribunal.
• Graeme has given seminars on the most recent legislation relevant to criminal practitioners. He participates in the Lecture Programme at 7 Bell Yard and provides CPD accredited lectures on specialist topics, including Criminal Sentencing, Consumer Protection and The Enterprise Act.

NOTABLE CASES

R v Johnson (& others) – Leading junior for recently acquitted defendant in the high profile trial of ten young defendants charged with conspiracy to commit arson under the M1 motorway in 2011. -BBC News

R. (Trigger) v. Northampton Magistrates’ Court (Northamptonshire Probation Trust and Northamptonshire Crown Prosecution Service, Interested Parties), 175 J.P. 101, D.C. (02/02/2011) – Successful Judicial Review of a decision regarding the Court’s power to rectify mistakes, pursuant to s. 142 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980.

R v Chiadmi (& others) – International car-ringing conspiracy, multi-million pound operation of five defendants with terrorist links. Represented the main player in the conspiracy - Telegraph

R v Ming Chen (& others) – Successful defence on multi-handed kidnap, blackmail and gang related rape trial, where the Crown alleged extortion and money laundering through China - Independent

R v Al Gabri (& others) – Acquittal of one of twelve defendants on a multi-handed motor insurance fraud, committed throughout the UK and foreign jurisdictions.

R v Hancox (& others) – Europe-wide, large scale production and supply of counterfeit money, involving nine defendants, successfully dismissed - BBC News

R v Campbell (& others) – Successful defence on multi-handed, gang related murder at the Central Criminal Court. The defendant was one of only two to be acquitted. (junior to leading Silk) - Harrow Times

R v Brown (& others) - Lincoln Prison Riots [2005] – dismissal of case following complex legal argument, of a defendant in a trial involving over twenty defendants. (led junior) - BBC News

R v S - Large scale inter-racial, public disturbance, involving murder and gang related violence in Nottingham - Guardian