Julian Baughan QC

Date of Call 1967
Date of Silk 1990

 

RANGE OF EXPERIENCE

He has more than 40 years' experience, specialising in all aspects of criminal law, appearing for both prosecution and defence in all tribunals from Magistrates' Courts to the House of Lords. He has particular experience of commercial crime, having appeared in numerous substantial fraud cases, such as fraudulent trading and insider dealing. He is a Recorder.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

1965: BA (Hons) in Modern History, Balliol, Oxford
1967: Called to the Bar, Inner Temple
1982: Assistant Recorder
1983: Standing Counsel to Department of Trade & Industry, until 1990
1985: Recorder of the Crown Court
1990: Queen's Counsel

 

CAREER PATH

He joined the chambers of Peter Crawford QC at 13 King's Bench Walk in October 1988, and is now Head of Chambers.

From 1968 until 1988, he practised from the chambers of RMAC Talbot and Douglas Draycott QC at 1 Essex Court.

He graduated from Balliol College in 1966 and was called to the Bar in 1967. He was in pupillage at 2 Crown Office Row with Patrick Medd.

 

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE EXPERIENCE

His professional practice has covered

• Comprehensive experience in all areas of common law during his early years.
• Advice and representation on a number of libel cases during the 1970's, including conducting a libel action in the High Court.
• Since specialising in criminal work from the mid 1970's, he has been instructed for the prosecution by a large number of authorities, including CPS (local and HQ), DTI, SFO, HMC&E, IR, PO and BT.
• He has been instructed for the defence by a wide range of solicitors. Although his practice is centred around the Thames Valley, he has appeared in virtually every Crown Court on the Midland & Oxford and South-Eastern Circuits. He has appeared regularly in the Court of Appeal and on occasion in the House of Lords.
• His appointment as Standing Counsel for DTI gave him extensive experience of commercial crime. He specialised in substantial fraud cases, 13 of which exceeded 2 weeks in length, covering such aspects as fraudulent trading and insider dealing, as well as the more usual offences under the Theft Acts. He also defended a 9 day Mortgage Fraud case in the Chancery Division.
• Acting for the prosecution in a leading case in the House of Lords on conspiracy to defraud (R v Ayres (1984) 1 All ER 619).
• He has also appeared as leading counsel in a wide range of other criminal cases, for example, rape, robbery, corruption and child abuse, as well as serious fraud.

 

RECENT CASES OF INTEREST

R v Ali and 2 others (Honour Killing) Oxford Crown Court, 2005
He prosecuted to conviction father and 2 sons who murdered the boyfriend of their daughter/sister, in what was widely, if inaccurately, termed an ‘Honour Killing'. The case received extensive and nationwide publicity;

R v Ward and 5 others Sheffield Crown Court, 2004
Instructed by the S.F.O. to prosecute a substantial mortgage fraud, involving a well-known local solicitor and dozens of houses. All defendants were convicted;

R v Alagna Basildon Crown Court, 2003
Successfully defended a 40 million pounds plus cigarette smuggling;

R v White and Hyatt Aylesbury Crown Court 2002
Successfully prosecuted 2 men on a "Who-dunnit" murder. Their convictions have been the subject of a television documentary - although not of a successful appeal.

R v Cooke (Microsoft Piracy Fraud) Reading Crown Court, 2001
He defended one of 10 men charged with a very substantial conspiracy to counterfeit and market Microsoft software. His client was acquitted at the end of the prosecution case.

R v Ketchell & 4 others (Ostrich Farming) Leicester Crown Court, 2000
Instructed by the S.F.O. to prosecute a 20 million pound investment fraud. The case received extensive publicity, doubtless due to the subject matter: ostrich farming. The 2 chief defendants changed their pleas to Guilty at the end of the Prosecution Opening speech.

R v Reid Winchester Crown Court, 1999
Successfully defended a church leader charged with indecently assaulting members of his youth group. The defendant's wife wrote a book recording her enthusiasm for the conduct of his defence!

R v Swanton and 5 others Birmingham Crown Court, 1998
Prosecuted 6 defendants charged with the murder by arson of 2 children. The main 5 defendants were convicted of murder; the sixth was convicted of manslaughter on re-trial.

 

OTHER PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS

Chairman Berkshire & Buckinghamshire Bar Mess - 1990-1998
Member of the Midland Circuit
Former Chairman of Thames Valley Bar Mess
Member of Committee of South-Eastern Circuit

 

LANGUAGES

Conversational French and Italian