Oliver Grimwood
Year of Call 2003
Oliver has a predominantly Criminal Defence practise, but also takes instruction from the Crown, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, Probation, Department of Work and Pension and Trading Standards.
Oliver’s practise covers all levels of serious violent crime (conducting over 15 Section 18 GBH trials last year alone), drug importation and supply, robbery and theft matters and most aspects of general crime.
Oliver also has considerable expertise in fraud, money laundering and proceeds of crime matters, both at trial, in confiscation hearings and on appeal. Oliver has written articles in this area and was led this year before a 7 man Supreme Court on the issue of assessment benefit in confiscation hearings, deemed by the court to be a matter of law ‘of great public importance’.
Oliver has a particular interest in cases involving intellectual property, trade marks and copy right offences.
He also has significant experience in handling expert evidence, ranging from telephone and forensic analysis of computers to medical and veterinary experts.
R v Waya: Supreme Court appeal relating to approach to assessment of benefit figure in proceeds of crime confiscation hearings in cases of electronic fund transfers. Judgment pending from 7 man Court.
R v Ishmail: Successful appeal against sentence for robbery, clarified position as to credit for guilty plea. The Sentencing Guidelines Council tariffs for youths includes this as a result.
R v Nassralla: Appeared for Crown in response to Defence appeal against conviction in respect of guilty plea to lesser alternative charge when trial conviction is on greater substantive charge, issue as to correct procedure to follow.
Operation Branfield: Junior for HMRC in multi-case collective appeal relating to use of ‘participating informants’ over a 20 year period.
R v Hindes: Led Junior in Operation Trident matter. Gun fight in broad daylight between ‘Yardie’ gang members involving Mach-10 machine gun.
R v Bailey: Led Junior at Central Criminal Court. Multi-handed gang related youth murder.
R v Abid: Section 18 GBH in the course of a robbery with victim stabbed in the heart. Not Guilty.
R v Barlow: Section 18 GBH. Alleged attempt to decapitate with gardening equipment. Not Guilty.
R v Hussain: Section 18 GBH. Knuckle-duster attack on co-worker. Not Guilty.
R v Neziraj: Section 18 GBH. Glassing to the face in a nightclub. Not Guilty verdict returned within15 minutes.
R v Musse: Section 18 GBH. Defendant alleged to have bitten off complainant’s ear. Trial on going.
R v Wickson: Section 18 GBH. Defendant bit off, and was alleged to have chewed and swallowed, cheek of complainant.
R v Brown: Section 18 GBH. Assault of policeman during chase where said to have pushed his hand onto spike on railings to make good an escape.
R v Duprey: Section 18 GBH on neighbour. Not Guilty.
R v Charlery: Section 18 GBH and Robbery of son on father. Not Guilty to the GBH.
R v Grant: Section 18 GBH. Youth stabbing.
R v Kwik: Section 18 GBH and lesser violence stemming from a family fight involving 15 in-laws. Guilty plea to 1 common assault only.
R v Carpenter: Led Junior in multi-handed money laundering of funds to Jamaica. Not Guilty.
R v Butler: Conspiracy to defraud a casino relating to croupier on roulette table. 1st on the indictment. Not Guilty.
R v Hatharb: Money laundering by alleged member of Al-Qaida.
R v Rizwan: Confiscation hearing relating to over £4 million from banking fraud where Crown alleged hidden assets abroad.
R v Johnson: Confiscation hearing relating to over £5.5 million from importation of class A where Crown allege hidden assets abroad.
R v Snooks: Complex False Accounting prosecution involving over 3 years of banking records and stock takes of a major high street clothing store.
R v Wallace: Led Junior in Conspiracy to commit armed robbery. Most expensive prosecution ever in relation to mobile telephone evidence. Attracted extensive broadsheet, tabloid and television interest.
R v Wilson: Led Junior in historic child rape and sexual assault allegations. Nor Guilty.
R v Francis: 30 Defendant Operation Gorgas. Conspiracy to supply Class A.
R v Mareceheau: Multi-handed robberies of high-end motor vehicles.
R v Bishop: Smash and grab robbery of jewellery store targeting over £100,000 of Rolex watches.
R v Finegan: Administering poison to ex-girlfriend.
R v Boadi: Importation of cannabis in chess boards.
R v Hemmington: Affray involving off duty police officer.
Kent County Council v Hilton: Trading standards prosecution involving miss-selling of jewellery relating to quality of stones, purity of metal and value of over 250 items.
R v Vella: Witness intimidation of known member of Essex criminal underworld by 55 year old Grandmother
Pupillage completed in 2004 at 2 Bedford Row, Chambers of William Clegg QC.
LLB (Hons) 2:1 from Queen Mary College, University of London.
Wolfson Scholar of Lincoln’s Inn.
Past President of Lincoln’s Inn Debating Society.