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Education

2003  Bar Vocational Course – Inns of Court School of Law (Very Competent)
2001  LLM, University College London – Commercial & Corporate Law
2000  LLB, University College London

Practice

Neil has developed an exclusively criminal defence practice which includes serious and organised violence, dishonesty/fraud, drugs, money laundering, firearms and sexual offences. Neil has been instructed alone and led in a number of very serious cases, with a particular interest in drug importation and conspiracy, fraud, money laundering and associated confiscation proceedings.

Neil Baki is associated with the following areas of expertise:

Crime
General Fraud
Human Rights Law
Regulatory and Disciplinary
White Collar Crime

Cases

Crime

  • R v Khan & Ors - Murder: Led Junior to Jeremy Dein QC in an 8 handed VHCC murder, involving a cut throat defence against 4 other co-defendants. The Crown eventually capitulated mid-trial due to serious failures in the disclosure process.
  • R v Karim - Arson: Led Junior to Nigel Sangster QC in an arson causing £90 million of damage against the company where he had subsequently murdered an employee. The defendant was formally acquitted after a successful submission of no case to answer.
  • R v Kapli & Ors - Drugs: Led Junior in a multi-handed importation of 30Kg of heroin from Holland. The defendant was accused of being the Dutch end of a major heroin cartel to supply heroin to the North of England.
  • R v Watson & Ors - Drugs: Led Junior in a multi-handed importation of 27Kg of cocaine from Holland. An unusual aspect to this case is that the defendant is also accused of laundering £1 million in cash that was seized at the time of arrest.
  • R v Legender & Ors - Drugs:   Led Junior in a multi-handed supply of ecstasy & cannabis with street value of £3 million. This was one of the largest drugs supply conspiracies in the North East.
  • R v Clementson & Ors - Drugs:  Led Junior in a conspiracy to supply Class A and C drugs across South West London.
  • R v Ebai & Ors - Drugs: Counsel alone in a conspiracy to import large quantities of heroin and cocaine into the United Kingdom. The defendant was the only person to be acquitted after trial.
  • R v Evans & Ors - Drugs: Counsel alone in a conspiracy to supply heroin wholesale from Liverpool and Birmingham in Ipswich.
  • R v West & Ors - Armed Robbery: Junior Counsel to Kim Hollis QC in a multi-handed series of armed robberies across East London & Essex. The robberies were of numerous cash-vans in transit using loaded semi-automatic weapons.
  • R v Madini & Ors - Rape: Counsel in a multi-handed double rape of two Polish tourists.
  • R v Girt & Ors - Rape: Counsel representing a 17 year old in a multi-handed rape of student on a train late at night. The defendant was found not guilty of rape following trial.
  • R v McKeever - Child Abuse: Counsel in a case where the allegation of long term sexual abuse was made. The defendant was found not guilty after trial.
  • R v Akhtar & Ors - ABH: Counsel representing the husband involving a series of allegations of domestic abuse at the hands of the complainant’s husband and other family members. This was an unusual case which attracted national and international publicity highlighting issues surrounding forced marriages.
  • R v Parrish & Ors - s18 assault: The defendant was alleged to have been armed with an axe and one of four men who attacked two people with Stanley knives and baseball bats.
  • R v Omueda - s18 assault: The defendant was alleged to have stabbed two men outside an East London nightclub multiple times. The defendant was found not guilty following trial.
  • R v Gostello - s18 assault: Counsel in a case where the defendant is alleged to have bitten the complainant’s ear off during a fight.
  • R v Davis - s18 assault: Counsel in a case where the defendant is alleged to have beaten the complainant with a champagne bottle causing multiple fractures to the complainant’s skull.
  • R v Ryan - s18 assault: Recently instructed in a case where the defendant is alleged to have broken a coffee table over the back of the complainant causing multiple rib fractures and a collapsed lung.
  • R v Ibraj & Ors - Armed Robbery: Counsel in a multi-handed 10 count armed robbery.
  • R v Mason - Firearms: DNA found matching that of the defendant was found on a loaded firearm found near the scene of the shooting of a known drug dealer. The defendant was found not guilty after trial.
  • R v Smith - Violent Disorder: 8 handed violent disorder involving weapons and bottles.
  • R v Gow - Obscene videos/indecent images: Counsel in the supply of large scale ‘hardcore’ pornographic videos and possession of indecent images of children.

Proceeds of Crime Act

  • R v Riasat & Ors - Money Laundering: Led Junior involving a family alleged to have conspired together to launder the proceeds of two brothers drug dealing business.
  • R v Andronikou - Money Laundering: Instructed as Counsel alone in a case involving the movement of large quantities of cash in holdall bags.
  • R v Watson - Money Laundering: Instructed as Counsel alone in a case involving the movement of cash connected to Class A drug dealing.
  • R v W. Murphy - Money Laundering & Unlicensed Money Lending: The defendant was charged with lending money at extortionate rates of interest.

Fraud and Financial Regulation

  • R v Ahmed & Ors - Fraud: Counsel in a multi-handed conspiracy to forge driving documents.
  • R v Hachem - Fraud: Counsel in a 10 count false accounting and benefit fraud.
  • R v Murphy & Ors - Conspiracy to defraud/Mortgage Fraud: Counsel alone in a conspiracy to defraud and being in control of a brothel.
  • R v Robinson & Ors - VAT diversion fraud and money laundering: The defendant is a director of various companies who faces two conspiracies to divert VAT from sham companies and then laundered the proceeds through bank accounts connected to those companies.

Court of Appeal Cases

  • R v Gow - Successful appeal against sentence where the Court if appeal agreed with all my submissions on paper and reduced the Appellant’s sentence by half.
  • R v Scott - Successful appeal against sentence in racially aggravated assault against a staff member of London Underground.
  • R v O’Brien - Appeal against sentence relating to the imposition of an IPP for violent street robbery. Sentence reduced.
  • R v Islam - Appeal against sentence involving knife-point robbery on a bus.

Articles & Publications

Bar Quarterly Review (March 2009) “Future of Expert Evidence”.

Associated Work

Professional Memberships

  • Health & Safety Lawyers Association
  • Criminal Bar Association
  • Amnesty International
  • Proceeds of Crime Lawyers Association (POCLA)
  • Young Fraud Lawyers Association (YFLA) 

Contact

T. 020 7067 1500

E. nbaki@25bedfordrow.com