Kevin qualified as a solicitor in 2002 and worked as a defence practitioner, gaining a reputation as a persuasive advocate. He was also employed by the Crown Prosecution Service for ten years and prosecuted a full range of cases in the Crown Court. He has worked in the Crown Court since 2009. Kevin was called to the Bar in 2016 in order to further develop his defence practice. He is a Grade 3 RASSO prosecutor.
Since Joining Chambers, Kevin has built a healthy defence practice covering a broad range of work and has seen great success in cases after the cross examination of prosecution witnesses.
Crown Court & appeals
Court of Appeal
R v C: Appearing for the Crown at the Court of Appeal following the imposition of a determinate sentence which was wrong in law.
R v L: Defending – Following conviction and sentence of over six years for GBH an appeal was pursued and allowed resulting in a retrial.
Having been convicted again at the retrial and having received another sentence of over six years imprisonment, a further appeal was pursued which resulted in the conviction being quashed for a second time and no retrial was ordered. The case was reported on BAILII.
Homicide
R v O: Junior Defence Counsel in the trial of a Youth charged with Murder. The Youth was convicted but despite the conviction, the court imposed a tariff less than the statutory minimum.
R v F: Junior Defence Counsel in a finding of fact (defendant having been found unfit for trial) hearing for a lady accused of murdering her Mother.
R v R: Junior Defence Counsel in a murder trial involving four young defendants. Represented the only defendant to be acquitted of all charges. The case has received coverage on the BBC, the Sun, the Shropshire Star, and the website of West Mercia Police. Kevin was led by Gurdeep Singh Garcha QC who commented: “I recently led Kevin Jones in a multi-handed murder trial in which we represented a very young defendant who was said to be part of a gang of youths who had stabbed a complete stranger to death following an innocuous exchange of words in a park. Throughout lengthy proceedings, culminating in a very lengthy trial; he demonstrated his tactical acumen, good judgment and complete grasp of all of the material in the case. His handling of our young client and his family was exceptional, reflecting his compassionate and supportive nature. It would be right to describe his contribution to this case as outstanding.”
Sexual Offences
R v C: Defending a teenager who was convicted of rape and sexual assault but was successful in his appeal and acquitted.
R v S: Successful prosecution of a man for historic sexual abuse against his young brother.
R v W: Defending a man who was accused of Rape of a women he had met earlier that day. He was acquitted at trial.
R v I & M: Defending one of two Romanian men accused of rape. Case was stopped by the Crown after cross examination of the complainant.
R v F: Secured the acquittal of a young man who suffered from anxietyaccused of rape a few years previously. The client commented: “Thank you for recommending Kevin to me as he was brilliant from start to finish. I can’t rate him highly enough, and I am ever so grateful for everything he has done for me”.
R v J: Successful prosecution of an appeal of Rape against a Youth Defendant. Appeal had been granted out of time as a result of ‘fresh’ evidence. However following work carried out on advice which challenged the fresh evidence the defence did not call any such evidence and the conviction was upheld.
R v W and R v F: Prosecution of internet-based sex offending carried out by Undercover Police Officers. Successfully argued against defence challenges relating to witness anonymity and abuse of process (entrapment).
R v L: Acquittal of a man accused of Rape against a former Girlfriend. Issue of consent.
R v D: Acquittal of a man accused of sexually assaulting a young person at a Gym.
Violent Offences
R v G: Defending one of three men charged with attempted GBH. Following cross examination of the witness and rejected applications by the Crown, the case was stopped by the Judge.
R v H: Defending a lady of good character who had ‘glassed’ her Brother in law. Jury found she had acted in self defence and she was acquitted.
R v L: Defending a man who punched his neighbour and was found to be acting in self defence and acquitted.
R v S & D: Defending one of two men charged with kidnap. Following the service of the defence statement and disclosure requests the case was dropped.
R v T: Defending one of seven men (first defendant) charged with two offences of S18. Following cross examination of the main witnesses, the Crown offered alternative charges under the Public Order act.
R v G and J: Defending one of two men accused of robbing a man of cash. Following cross examination of the victim the Crown reduced the offence conceding that no robbery had taken place.
R v N: Defending a man accused of administering a noxious substance. Following advice and representations on the substance involved, the Crown did not proceed with that charge.
R v F: Defending a man accused of assaulting his partner. No complaint was made by her. Submitted arguments regarding the admissibility of Hearsay and Bad Character which resulted in the Crown dropping the case.
R v H: Successful acquittal of a man accused of Coercive and Controlling behaviour against his current partner. Previous convictions for domestic violence had been admitted at trial.
R v S, T & E: Acquittal of one of three women charged with racially aggravated assault.
Drugs Offences
Operation Bullfight: Junior Prosecution Counsel over two trials in Cheshire Police’s largest ever covert operation involving the distribution of multi kilos of Class A and B drugs by an Organised Crime Group based in Liverpool. Drugs were supplied to various Cheshire towns and also into Scotland. The ringleader of the organisation ran his team from within Altcourse Prison whilst serving a 13-year prison sentence for a previous drugs conspiracy. The case involved substantial telecoms evidence, including from a variety of phones smuggled into prison. Total sentences of 102 years imposed.
R v R: Defending one of over 15 defendants in a drugs conspiracy. After trial, the defendant was convicted of only dealing one type of drug reducing his culpability and ultimate sentence.
Theft and Dishonesty Offences
R v W: Successful prosecution of a man for aggravated burglary who had in fact gone to the wrong address looking for gold resulting in a sentence of over 10 years.
R v B: Not Guilty verdict for Burglary representing a cleaner who was accused of stealing money from her friend/customer. Her fingerprint was found on the lid from a money jar that had been taken. The lid had been left behind and her partners DNA was found on a screwdriver which was found next to the broken window which had been used by the burglar to get in and out of the property.
R v B: Not guilty verdict in a case of Fraud in excess of £5,000.
R v T: Prosecution of a Dwelling Burglary and subsequent contested POCA proceedings resulting in hidden assets of £68,000.
R v M: Not guilty verdict in a case of a Woman who was accused of stealing over £16,000 from her mother-in-law.
R v D & Others: Not guilty verdict for one of four men found in a car with tools and number plates accused of going equipped to steal motor vehicles.
R v B & Others: Provided charging advice and then successful prosecution of eight shop workers who had defrauded the Co-Op of over £42,000.
R v J: Not guilty verdict of Burglary against the boyfriend of the au pair while the homeowners were away. Fingerprint found on the bag used to store the stolen property.
R v W: Not guilty verdict of Theft of plant machinery having been found close to the stolen property in the early hours of the morning.
Weapons Offences
R v C: Successfully argued exceptional circumstances to avoid a mandatory minimum sentence for possession of a disguised weapon, stun gun.
R v M: Not guilty verdict of a man accused of threatening local residents with a knife on two occasions.