• 'The set also handled R v Gul, a Supreme Court case that for the first time looked at the definition of terrorism' Chambers UK 2016
  • 'They are also known for their presence in Supreme Court handling complex terrorism appeals' Chambers UK 2016
  • 'Attracts the most significant and substantial criminal instructions on both the prosecution and defence sides' Chambers UK 2017

Terrorism

The go-to Chambers for complex and high-profile matters, QEB Hollis Whiteman is favoured for these technically challenging and security-sensitive cases.

Overview

QEB Hollis Whiteman has a particularly high level of expertise and experience in prosecuting and defending Terrorism Trials at all stages of the proceedings and in relation to all types of alleged terrorist activity, having undertaken such cases for many years. We are regularly asked to give advice in relation to terrorism-related matters from the investigation stage and have been involved in several government iniquires involving terrorism. This area of practice is extremely sensitive and complex and we are very proud of our reputation for excellence in this field.

Our Experience

Chambers has experience at the highest level in this field.  With a large group of former and current Senior and Junior Treasury Counsel, members have vast expertise specific to this area of law.

Our Barristers have been involved in some of the most significant Terrorism Trials of recent times, including: the prosecution of a mother who took her young son to Syria to live with ISIS; the first successful prosecution based entirely on the distribution of extremist material on the Internet; one of the first terrorist fundraising cases in this country for a terrorist purpose abroad (Chechnya); and the case concerning the highest-ranking Al-Qaeda Operative prosecuted in the UK.

We appear in cases that shape the law; we appeared in the case of R v Gul, in which the Supreme Court considered for the first time the definition of Terrorism in the context of international law and conventions incorporated into domestic law.

We are regularly asked to give terrorism-related advice pre-charge, throughout the criminal process to the Supreme Court and have been involved in several government inquiries involving terrorism, including the Saville inquiry (the Bloody Sunday Inquiry) and The Iraq Inquiry (Chilcot Inquiry).

 

Recent Cases

R v IK (2023)

Philip prosecuted a man for offences contrary to the Terrorism Acts 2000 and...

R v Gibbons and Patten-Walsh (Operation Hydronium) 2022

  Ongoing prosecution of 2 men charged with encouraging acts of terrorism and dissemination...

R v Ziad (2021)

Sean Larkin QC prosecuted a man for disseminating terrorist material using a variety of social...

News

Jennifer Newcomb appointed as Treasury Counsel Monitoree

We are delighted to announce that as of the 1 st  April 2024 Jennifer Newcomb will be...

Philip McGhee to be appointed Treasury Counsel

We are delighted to announce that as of the 1 st April 2024 Philip McGhee will be Junior Treasury...

Articles

A Briefing Note: R v Ng & R v O'Reilly Abuse of process and non-attendance

The Court of Appeal has recently given guidance on the options for the criminal courts when dealing with non-attendance of counsel, particularly prosecution counsel, at hearings and at trials. In this briefing note,  Philip Stott  and ...

R v Manning: Sentencing considered during the period of the pandemic

Philip Stott considers R - v -  Manning and the observations of the Lord Chief Justice on sentencing during Covid-19 A recent ‘unduly lenient’ sentencing reference to the Court of Appeal – R v Manning – provided an opportunity...

Criminal Courts: Coping with Covid-19

Edmund Smith  of  Kingsley Napley  and  Kerry Broome  of QEB Hollis Whiteman review how the administration of criminal justice has changed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and what this might mean for the future.  ...

The Coronavirus Act, and the emergence of a 'Virtual Court' - perhaps without Juries?

This briefing note from Edward Henry QC , Susannah Stevens , Philip Stott with the assistance of Anna Bond and John Morrison  provides an expert and detailed exposition of the procedural and legislative changes implemented by the...