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    Education

    1988 LLB (Hons) Leeds (First Class)
    Visiting Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley 1988/9

    Background

    A number of years working in the House of Commons as a researcher and campaigns officer for the Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, before coming to the Bar in 1992. Also worked in the United States on a number of historic human-rights cases arising out of the FBI counter-intelligence programme against domestic political organisations (Black Panther Party and American Indian Movement).

    Practice

    Exclusively criminal defence work with particular emphasis on serious violence such as murder, armed robbery and other firearms offences in additional emphasis on fraud, drugs-related offences and gang crime. Has been instructed in a number of high-profile cases including terrorism and cases arising from tabloid newspaper investigations. Also conducts appellate work.

    Arlette Piercy is associated with the following areas of expertise:

    Crime
    General Fraud
    Terrorism
    Human Rights

    Cases

    Fraud and Financial Regulation

    • R -v- Woolley and others - a £36million VAT ‘carousel’ fraud, defendant featured in a Panorama special.
    • R -v- Osdashko and others - the first major prosecution emanating from the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit, involving global internet software piracy.
    • R –v- Cornwall and others – multi-million pound conspiracy to defraud involving identity theft; corrupt banking officials in the UK and abroad; money-laundering through a UK factoring house and Middle-East gemstone transactions.
    • R -v- Khalique - Organised benefit fraud conducted by five members of the same family at numerous different addresses in the London Borough of Lambeth.

    Proceeds of Crime Act

    • R –v- Sabrina Russell – multi-handed international drug dealing and money-laundering offences known as Operation Bella Vista 2 involving the movement of large sums of the proceeds of drug-dealing to the Caribbean.
    • R –v- Mohammed Buhnani and others – multi-handed international money-laundering offences involving fraudulent exchange bureaus.

    Terrorism

     

    • R -v- Kanyare - allegation of conspiracy to obtain radioactive 'red mercury' for terrorist purposes. The main prosecution witness was the News of the World 'fake sheikh' journalist Maz Mahmood.  All defendants were acquitted.

    Crime

    • R v Aslam - In this multi handed 6 week case allegations of rape and serial sexual abuse were made against three members of the same family by a total of 6 female complainants (also all within the extended family). These allegations spanned two generations and comprised a 35 Count indictment many of which were specimens.
    • R v Blackstock - Defendant acquitted after a trial for violent disorder arising out of a gang-related turf war between two rival south London gangs.
    • R v Charlie Green - In this case Charlie Green was alleged to have been a party to a revenge shooting of a drug dealer who had facilitated the gunpoint robbery of drugs from the defendant and others. The case ultimately failed when the Crown application to read some of the core evidence in the case was successfully resisted by the defence.
    • R v N and others - In this case the defendant N and is co-defendant were acquitted of the murder of teenager Daniel Duke in Kennington. The allegation was of a 'gangland' hit by rival gang members. The case focussed heavily upon disputed cell-site evidence.
    • R. v McCalla - Conspiracy to supply cocaine. In this matter the defendant and his son are charged together with reggae music artist Smiley Culture. Due to be tried in March this year the case has substantial disclosure and public interest immunity complications. 
    • R v McGuffie - Acts for the first defendant in on going case alleging a two year conspiracy to import cocaine via the Caribbean. Cell site again features heavily in this case and there are in addition substantial arguments in relation to the arrest of the defendant and items taken from him in Holland in 2006.
    • R -v- Regan and others - acted for the first defendant in the 'Chohan Family’ murders in which three generations of the same family were killed.  It became the Old Bailey's longest murder trial.
    • R -v- Blake Fielder-Civil and others – represented the husband of singer Amy Winehouse on charges of perverting the course of justice and GBH.
    • R -v- Pepe Brown and others - represented the first defendant in this gangland murder which featured heavily in Graeme McLagan's recent book 'Guns and Gangs: Inside Black Gun Crime', also conducted the Court of Appeal appeal against conviction in this case.
    • R -v- Gardner - the so-called ‘acid murder’ case in which the defendant was acquitted of allegedly murdering his doctor girlfriend by tricking her into drinking sulphuric acid.
    • R -v- Woodruff & Hickson - this Armed Robbery case was stayed on grounds of abuse of process after numerous officers from the Flying Squad, Rigg Approach were suspended or prosecuted.
    • R –v- Ahmed and others – this multi-handed conspiracy to rob involved a South London “teen gang” who carried out 100 robberies over a short period.  Case focussed on MSM messaging and BEBO website material.  Defendant acquitted.
    • R –v- Phillips and others – in this case a teen-aged girl was kidnapped and subjected to serious physical and sexual assault by a group of teenagers and young adults.
    • R –v- Cox and others – represented the first defendant in this case of serial violence, including a petrol-bomb attack, between rival gangs in the Brixton area.  The juvenile defendant was acquitted.
    • R –v- Dookie - this 15-year-old defendant was charged with attempted murder and firearms offences following a point-blank shooting of a member of a rival gang at a festival in South London.
    • R -v- Ismail & Ors - a nine-month long trial involving an international conspiracy to import heroin with a street value in excess of £40 million.
    • R –v- Forrester & Ors - acted for the alleged financier in this case of conspiracy to import 6 tonnes of cannabis.  Defendant was acquitted.
    • R –v- Thame & Ors – this conspiracy to supply cocaine with a street value of £6million, involved lengthy surveillance evidence by officers from New Scotland Yard.

    Reported Cases

    • R –v- Hamilton - Armed Robbery from which the appeal against sentence has become part of a guideline case on Indeterminate Sentences for Public Protection.
    • R –v- Blake Fielder-Civil and others - reported in respect of Goodyear indications for sentencing.
    • R –v- Woodruff and Hickson - reported regarding abuse of process and police corruption.

    Associated Work

    Has worked in the USA on miscarriage of justice cases involving former members of the Black Panther Party including the co-founder Huey Newton and former L.A Panther leader Geronimo Pratt.

     

    Professional Memberships

    • Criminal Bar Association
    • Board Member of 'Rights International’ a small public-interest pressure group which litigates individual human rights cases in international forums.

    Directories

    Recommended as a leader in crime in Chambers UK 2012 and The Legal 500 (2011).

    Contact

    T. 020 7067 1500

    E. apiercy@25bedfordrow.com