John Black practises mainly at the criminal Bar, but has also developed a civil fraud practice in the VAT and Duties Tribunals and in the Chancery Division of the High Court.
His practice at the criminal Bar encompasses both prosecuting and defending in significant and heavyweight cases, including very high cost criminal cases. In practice for over 30 years, he has extensive and highly-regarded experience in cases across the criminal spectrum, especially those involving serious fraud and financial crime, murder, serious sexual offences, people trafficking, corruption and large-scale drugs importations. During that time he has regularly been listed as one of the top juniors and one of the most promising silks in Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500.
Following many years of work in major MTIC and diversion fraud cases, acting for both HM Customs & Excise and for the defence, John now also acts for the Solicitor to RCPO in litigating cases in the VAT and Duties Tribunal and in the Chancery Division. John’s practice in this area includes not only advocacy but also advisory and appellate work. For example he has responded to an appeal against a VAT refusal by HMRC in an allegation of a large civil fraud which has involved a lengthy hearing in the Tribunal and an interlocutory appeal to the Chancery Division (Brayfal Ltd v Commissioners for HMRC (2007/8), and he is instructed to respond in three more extensive appeals to the VAT and Duties Tribunal in 2009.
In the criminal sphere, he has developed particular expertise in dealing with cases involving issues of complex disclosure, jury tampering, accomplice evidence, offenders / defendants assisting in investigations and prosecutions, and complicated mental and psychological topics.
He is renowned for his careful and conscientious approach to every case, his ability to master and marshal large volumes of documentation, his witness handling skills, and his receptive management of teams of instructing lawyers, junior counsel and officers. John is also highly adept at dealing with cases involving cultural sensitivities and defendants and witnesses from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Many of his cases have involved notorious defendants and attracted high levels of media publicity, and he enjoys a successful track record of appellate advocacy.
He is also very familiar with dealing with the complicated issues arising for both the defence and prosecution in confiscation hearings, having appeared in many cases concerning the various confiscation regimes of the Drug Trafficking and Offences Act 1986, the Criminal Justice Act 1988, the Drug Trafficking Act 1994, and the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
Prosecution work includes appearing for many CPS branches and the Casework Directorate, the Fraud Prosecution Service, the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office and Serious Organised Crime Agency. For example, he is currently instructed in prosecuting for the Fraud Prosecution Service a large-scale alleged tax fraud (R v Sayers and others, Operation Stirling), a diversion fraud for RCPO (Operation Fulcrum) and a tax fraud for the FPS.
In recent years his practice has included additionally a very significant amount of advisory work on major potential prosecutions and litigations for the leading prosecuting authorities.
He is currently Chairman of the Surrey & South London Bar Mess. He practises mainly on the South Eastern Circuit, but has undertaken many cases on other circuits.
Recent Cases
R v Frost and others (2008) – instructed on behalf of RCPO to respond to a series of appeals against conviction and sentence in a tobacco importation fraud, having not prosecuted the trials. The appeals against conviction were dismissed.
R v Esat (2007) – responding to a reference by the CCRC to the Court of Appeal of a 1998 case involving fresh forensic evidence. The appeal lasted five days and was dismissed.
R v Mehmeti (2007) - murder and attempted murder case, defending alleged member of a gang of four Albanian car meter thieves who allegedly decided to execute a number of competitors by shooting.
R v Singh (2007) – prosecuting (for CPS casework directorate) murder and attempted murder case, involving two men in Southall following a cultural disagreement.
R v Harris and others (Operation Mandoor) (2006/7) – prosecuting (for SOCA) large-scale cocaine importation (over 60kgs) from South America into the UK. It involved the exporters of the drug from South America, organisers of the importation into the UK, launderers of the money and criminal associates.
R v Drury (2006) – prosecuting an alleged historic rape case involving allegations of rape and indecent assault by father upon daughter.
R v Goodwin and others (2006) – defending attempted murder of a drug dealer in Milton Keynes, allegedly an attempted execution by a team of London drug dealers who decided to kill with a firearm their main competitor in Bedfordshire.
R v Whitworth and others (Operation Athletic) (2006) - prosecuting (for RCPO) an inward diversion fraud from continental Europe into the UK involving both alcohol and tobacco. It was alleged that the main conspirators were able to provide the facility of a group of corrupt customs officers at Ramsgate Port who were prepared to facilitate the fraud. There were 12 defendants, including three custom officers.
R v Alvin and others (2005) - defending a man accused of murder through execution by a firearm following a history of drug trafficking. In due course, defence submissions resulted in prosecution offering no evidence and defendant becoming principal witness for the Crown.
R v Faruq and others (Operation Iowa) (2005) - prosecuting (for CPS Casework Directorate) a conspiracy to contravene the Immigration Act by bringing relatives into the UK under false pretences and then falsely claiming asylum as a prelude to falsely claiming benefits from government departments and local authorities. The main witness for the Crown was an ex-Cabinet minister and serving MP. Confiscation, compensation and costs exceeded £2million.
R v Uddin and others (Operation Venison) (2005) - prosecuting (for RCPO) a £100 million MTIC fraud as part of replacement prosecution team and as second Queen’s Counsel, particular role in the case was to deal with the vast amount of PII material and, notwithstanding the months of pre-trial preparation, there were also over 25 days of PII hearings before a High Court judge.
R v Davies (2004) – defending female defendant with significant history of mental illness, accused of double-murder of her great-grandmother and boyfriend. The issue for the jury was whether she was insane at the time of the two killings; the jury found that she was not guilty by reason of insanity.
R v Matthews and others (2004) – defending one of four accused of executing through contract killing a Cheshire drug dealer because he had betrayed the activities of another drug syndicate.
R v Cox and others (Operation Raider) (2003/4) – prosecuting (for CPS Casework Directorate) a case of people trafficking and conspiracy to defraud, with economic loss to major superstores and including the prosecution of a solicitor. Substantial confiscation orders made.
Notable other cases include:
R v Smith & Merceica (2001/02) – prosecuting alleged contract murder of Hertfordshire businessman, including upholding initial convictions in the Court of Appeal
R v Carter (2000) – defending police officer accused of stealing drugs from criminal and selling them; police corruption case involving alleged accomplices who were former police officers.
R v Childs & Co (1999) – defending alleged large-scale drug supplier case in Portsmouth and Hampshire area
R v Allcock (1997) – prosecuting (for CPS Casework Directorate) senior tax inspector convicted of corruption by providing favourable treatment to individuals being investigated for tax evasion
R v Beck (1991) – defending director of care homes in Leicestershire accused of systematic sexual abuse of children over many years.
R v Brown and others (Operation Spanner) (1990) – defending man who owned the torture chamber utilised by a sado-masochism ring
Brinks Mat (1988-90) – defending acquitted wife of principal robber who was convicted of this infamous robbery
R v Dorsett (1988) – defending one of those accused of instigating football violence within West Ham football club; the defendants were known as The Inter-City Firm (ICF)
