Alistair Grainger
Date of Call 1998
RANGE OF EXPERIENCE
Alistair has considerable experience, having both prosecuted and defended a wide range of criminal cases at all levels. He was pupilled in London and undertook a variety of civil, family and criminal matters, remaining at the Bar until 2002. Between 2002 and 2005 he practiced as a solicitor specialising in criminal law. He was a higher courts advocate and duty solicitor and chose to return to the independent bar in 2005. His wealth of experience gained in the police station as a duty solicitor gives him an unparalleled advantage in court. Alistair’s present day practice covers the full range of criminal work, including violent offences, serious sexual offences, fraud, drugs, robbery and public order matters. His work also includes courts martials, parole board and prison discipline hearings, and his experience of civil jurisdictions complement his criminal practice. He is regularly briefed in matters of road traffic and has a particular interest and caseload in road haulage. In court he demonstrates a sensitive, subtle and thorough approach in his advocacy, is aggressive when required but seeks to exercise good judgment at all times, upon which he has been extensively complimented by briefing solicitors.
QUALIFICATIONS
1992: Licentiate of Trinity College of Music London. Teacher.
1996: University of Liverpool: LLB hons 2:1
1997: University College London: LLM, child law, evidence, employment law.
1998: Inns of Court School of Law: Post Graduate diploma in Law.
1998: Inner Temple BVC bursary, full award.
2002: Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test.
PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE EXPERIENCE
Alistair is a very experienced Crown Court advocate and has appeared in a number of high profile and often complex defence cases. These have included:
R v Layden: Defence of a number of counts of child rape.
R v Chagonda: Part of multi handed aggravated burglary of a coin dealer and vicious attack at his home.
McMillan : Parole Board lifer release hearing.
R v Clinton: Murder in Northampton led by Stuart Jones QC.
R v Plowman: Defence of a number of counts of child rape.
R v Davies: Notable case of Death by Dangerous driving.
R v Court: Allegation of gunpoint robberies from security van deliveries of cash to Tesco stores.
R v Wagstaffe: School Social worker downloading indecent images of children.
R v Jewel: Junior brief in 12 handed drug dealing conspiracy. Crown case based on vast quantity of probe and covert surveillance evidence.
R v Waite: Junior brief in 10 handed drug dealing conspiracy. Crown case based on vast quantity of probe and covert surveillance evidence. Human Rights issues.
R v Humphries: High profile murder of an Oxford doctor led by Julian Baughan QC.
R v Knight. Defence of indecent assault on 5 year old girl by 65 year old man. One of the first cases in the country to use an intermediary.
R v Earle: Allegation of armed robberies on Midlands Post offices.
Approximately 10% of Alistair’s practice includes prosecuting for the Crown. He has prosecuted matters of robbery, affray, serious violence, drug dealing, firearms, rape, kidnap and fraud amongst other things.
Alistair has appeared on numerous occasions at the Court of Appeal.
