Adrian Eissa QC

Barrister

Adrian advises and represents companies and individuals in a broad range of criminal and regulatory investigations and proceedings. These include, but are not limited to, the following areas: complex fraud, money laundering, insider trading, bribery, civil and criminal confiscation and restraint proceedings, Health and Safety, large scale drug conspiracies, sexual offences, and private prosecutions.

Appointments

Appointed Recorder of the Crown Court in 2012 (authorised to conduct serious sexual offences trials).

Publications

Adrian is the co-author of the following publications:

Contributor "The Proceeds of Crime" by Millington and Sutherland Williams 5th Ed published 2018 by Oxford University Press (Chapters on Civil Recovery).
Case commentary for Criminal Law Week 2019.
“Fraud: A Practitioners Handbook” published 2014 by Bloomsbury Professional.
“Confiscation: A Practitioners Handbook”published 2011 by Bloomsbury Professional
Editor to Bloomsbury Online in the field of Fraud, Corporate and General Crime.

Recent Lectures

London Criminal Courts Solicitors European Conference: Civil Recovery Under Part V POCA.
The Anti Money Laundering Professionals Forum 14th Annual Conference: Master Class in Unexplained Wealth Orders.
Proprietary Information and the Protection of Corporate Secrets UCL.

Awards

2015 Winner of Legal Awards "Best for Money Laundering & Asset Forfeiture" in the - UK
2015 Winner of the "Excellence in White Collar Crime UK" Award - Corporate Live Wire Awards.
2015 Winner "White Collar Barrister of the Year" Award - Global Law Experts and recommended as their exclusive White Collar Crime law expert in England.
2015 Winner "White Collar Crime Barrister of the Year"; Lawyer Monthly
2013 Anti-Money Laundering Barrister of the Year: Acquisition International Legal Awards

Directories

"Juries find him very difficult to dislike and his natural likeability is something that can benefit a defendant in a criminal case. In cross-examinations he can switch from easy-going to stone-cold in a second - sometimes to devastating effect." Chambers UK 2022
"He makes the implausible sound plausible." Chambers UK 2022
“He is an extremely capable lawyer who is fair and focused.” Chambers UK 2022
“He is one of the leading experts in this area and has encyclopedic knowledge of POCA.” Chambers UK 2022
‘Adrian is an outstanding all-round barrister who makes persuasive arguments before the Court of Appeal. He is truly a titan at the criminal bar.’ Legal 500 2022, Crime
‘Adrian is calm, methodical and totally unflappable under pressure. A charming advocate whom juries like.’ Legal 500 2022, Fraud Crime
‘A good tactician who is diligent and painstaking. He has an easy way with the jury.’ Chambers UK 2021
‘Brilliant at spotting needles in haystacks, and his client care skills are spot-on.’ Legal 500 2021, Crime
‘Very thorough. Comprehensive knowledge of relevant legal principles. Excellent at communicating with the client. He remains positive in the face of even the worst of judicial storms.’ Legal 500 2021, Fraud
‘Great with clients and pure class in court.’ Chambers UK
‘An excellent advocate. He has a great touch with clients.’ Legal 500
‘A frequent choice of junior for the more difficult criminal cases and mixes complex fraud and POCA case with general crime.’ Chambers UK
‘Pragmatic and client-focussed, with an enviable knowledge of confiscation law and procedure.’ Legal 500 2019
‘A supreme trial advocate.’ Legal 500
‘His advocacy is top-drawer.’ Legal 500
‘An extremely versatile and able advocate.’ Legal 500
'A very charismatic and human jury advocate' Legal 500 2018, Fraud
'Very dependable and approachable, he is a knowledgable advocate too'. Legal 500 2018, Crime
‘He is able to conduct detailed analyses of cases and present them in a clear way’ .Legal 500
‘A knowledgeable and effective advocate.’ Legal 500

Recommended as a Leading Silk in Crime in Chambers & Partners 2019

Other

Qualified as a mediator
Qualified and authorised to accept instructions on a Direct Access basis.

Professional Memberships

Criminal Bar Association
Proceeds of Crime Lawyers Association
Standing Conference of Mediation Advocates
Member of the Fraud Lawyers Association

Legal Awards 2017 Logo

RL - Defending private prosecution alleging fraud by abuse of position by managing director within the company.
R v PM - Alleged fraud in respect of family assets by daughter.
R v SW - SFO prosecution for corruption offences arising out of the reconstruction of the Iraq oil industry following the invasion of Iraq. : Defending Unaoil’s Territory Manager for Iraq in a 4 month trial regarded as the most significant bribery trial of 2020.
RSPCA v DD - Defending RSPCA prosecution of a veterinary surgeon charged with £2,500, 000 conspiracy to defraud. Suspended sentence achieved.
R v AS - Central Criminal Court : Defending company Director charged with money laundering arising out of bonded warehouse business. Hung jury.
R v WB - Defending Company director charged with VAT fraud.
R v B - Southwark CC - Custody avoided for multiple mortgage frauds. Money laundering counts discontinued.
R v ES - Central Criminal Court - Fraudulent trading charge brought against former Premiership footballer and company director of registered charity.
R v KP - Fraudulent evasion of income tax charged as cheat and offences contrary to the Taxes & Management Act s106(a) 1970.
R v PL - DEFRA prosecution for Fraud Act offences arising out of payment of Forestry Commission grants.
R v DW - Southwark Crown Court - Operation Hayrack. Successful defence of a company director charged with offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906 involving the Head of Property Department at the Royal Household.
R v MH - Successful defence of a company director charged with boiler room fraud in respect of sale of fancy coloured diamonds. Following cross examination of the prosecution expert witnesses the trial judge referred them to the DPP to be considered for prosecution for perjury.
R v RE - Central Criminal Court - Fraud Act prosecution of company director for alleged insurance fraud. Prosecuted by the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department at City of London police.
R v JK - Alleged £1.7 million life insurance fraud
R v LC - Alleged conspiracy to commit car hire fraud
R v NH - Company Director charged with alleged diamond boiler room fraud
R v KC - Company Director charged with fraudulent trading with significant international dimension
R v RE - Company Director charged with insurance fraud
R v CN - Company Director charged with alleged diamond boiler room fraud
R v FS - Estate agent charged with fraudulent trading
R v AB - Company director in three month commercial mortgage fraud
R v GG - Money laundering trial reported in the national press
R v PB - Global conspiracy involving sale of over £2,000,000 counterfeit goods through Ebay accounts
R v MS Op Kronos 2012 FSA prosecution - alleged insider trading in excess of £20,000,000
R v CD Op Resolution - Trading Standards prosecution - alleged land fraud in excess of £24,000,000
R v EB Operation Lunate - Large scale money laundering and multiple mortgage fraud offences
R v SS Operation Balt - Money laundering offences allegedly in excess of £20,000,000
R v GS - Confiscation proceedings in sum of £28,000,000
R v JV - Confiscation benefit figure reduced from £5,400,000 to £200,000
R v VA - SFO prosecution of offences allegedly linked to the collapse of the Johnson Matthey Bank with current values of £7,000,000
R v JK - Money laundering of £2,500,000 and fraud and immigration offences arising out of establishment of bogus educational institution
R v GL - Trading Standards prosecution - alleged loss to industry figure of £1,500,000
R v K and L - Seizure of £180,000 from company directors at airport

Tax

HMRC v KSM Upper Tier Tax Tribunal - Representing overseas company appeal against VAT assessment.
HMRC v Yanev First Tier Tax Tribunal - Appeal against assessment in excess of £1.8 million.
HMRC v SL - Successful return of cash seized by joint NCA and HMRC investigation into overseas Chinese property investors in UK in excess of £1,000,000.
HMRC v SMC - Representing overseas Chinese investors in restraint proceedings brought by HMRC
R v KP - Fraudulent evasion of income tax charged as cheat and offences contrary to the Taxes & Management Act s106(a) 1970.

POCA

Police v NI - Advising former defence attach to foreign government in respect of account freezing order.
In Re A - Advising foreign bank seeking to intervene in an Unexplained Wealth Order 2020.
R v O - Representing the alleged “banker” to the former Govenor of a foreign state. Alleged benefit of £35,000,000.
Financial Conduct Authority V DW - Application to vary pre charge restraint order against company director of failed listed company.
R v AS - Representing company director in £35,000 alleged benefit confiscation proceedings arising out of money laundering offences.
HMRC v SG - Account freezing orders successfully varied.
R v WHM - Advising foreign company in relation to restraint proceedings freezing Cryptocurrency.
R v MM - Representing Company director in relation to POCA proceedings arising out of VAT fraud.
R v TD - S22 Application to increase the available amount reduced to one sixth of the original claim.
R v O Ltd - Discharge of restraint order imposed on Limited Company on the basis that it was wrong to “pierce the corporate veil”
R v RE - S22 Application to increase the available amount substantially reduced.
R v AL - Defending s22 application to increase the available amount in respect of a pension fund.
R v GW - Birmingham Crown Court - Acting for defendant subject to s22 POCA proceedings in which the prosecution are seeking to increase the available amount.
R v MC - Winchester Crown Court - s22 POCA case in which the prosecution are seeking to increase the available amount.
Re SHA - Advising National Housing Association as to application of Money Laundering Regulations 2007, the Estate Agency Act 1979 and the duties of the supervisory authority (FCA).
R v CY - Wood Green Crown Court - Advising third party wife joined to confiscation proceedings under s10A POCA.

R v MWG - Four week murder trial representing 16 year old defendant
R v AM - Murder trial representing 16 year old defendant.
R v CI - Central Criminal Court 2019 - 7 handed manslaughter case lasting 6 weeks
R v PG - Central Criminal Court 2018 : 8 handed murder trial
R v KC - Northampton CC: 4 handed murder trial
R v Al S - Central Criminal Court - Death by dangerous driving.
R v RY - Central Criminal Court - Successful defence of defendant charged with kidnap with ransom demands and false imprisonment.
R v TC - Successful defence of historic child sex offences.
R v NK- Croydon Crown Court - Successful defence of city employee on harassment charges.
R v TC - Historic sex case going back to the 1980's.
R v BG - Conspiracy to import tonnes of cannabis linked to multi kilo class A importation.
R v LS - Alleged rape and abuse of a child by group of 23 males.
R v SC - Alleged organised conspiracy to commit Immigration Act Offences.
R v LG - Possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life and possession of multiple kilos Class A and cutting agents with intent to supply.
R v MA - Death by careless driving 2014
R v RT - Conspiracy to import and supply 50 -100 kgs of cocaine
R v XM - Rape of a 14 year girl in a public park
R v PL - Bigamy
R v DA - Supply of cocaine at 90% purity ,production of cannabis and money laundering.
R v GG - Multi million pound conspiracy to rob alleged to have netted between £500,000 - £2,000,000. The case attracted national publicity: the victims included Sir Nigel and Lady Rudd and Bernie Ecclestone.
R v GA - Operation Pillow multi million pound alleged importation of cutting agents in excess of 3 tonnes capable of producing £245,000,000 class A drugs
R v JV - Manslaughter by arson and Supply class A drugs. D allegedly to have imported 180 kilos of cutting agents
R v GA - Double attempted murder and firearms offences
R v JT - £1.75,000,000 armed robbery at Heathrow Airport- retrial of which was the first ever trial by judge alone following allegations of jury tampering.
R v DCE - “Honeytrap” Murder case representing alleged gang leader
R v RR - Seven handed cut throat murder case representing principal defendant

Reported Cases

North of England Coachworks Ltd v Khan [2020] EWHC 2596 - Contempt proceedings arising out of alleged civil fraud in excess of £1,000,000.
R v PG [2020] EWCA Crim 193 - Minimum tariff for murder reduced from 18 to 15 years
Regina v Ahmet Ciftdal [2018] EWCA Crim 2505 - Appeal against sentence for Class A drug trafficking offences.
AB v CPS [2017] EWHC 2963 (Admin) Case stated in which the court quashed the conviction for robbery on the basis that the erred in law in rejecting a submission of no case to answer, because there were ,on the facts, other realistic possibilities consistent with innocence. The court also agreed with the submission that the lower court was wrong to draw an adverse inference from the appellant’s silence in interview pursuant to s34(2)(d) of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
Regina v Pritesh Ladwa [2017] EWCA Crim 590 Appeal against sentence in DEFRA prosecution for the fraudulent obtaining of Forestry Commission grants.
Regina v Azmari Paywand, Paul Clarke - [2017] EWCA Crim 885 Appeal against sentence in drugs conspiracy.
R v Eugene Hudson [2017] EWHC 841 (Admin)- Appeal by way of case stated as to the definition of dwelling house burglaries for the purpose of 9 (1) Theft Act 1968. Judgment pending.
R V Sullivan 2015 EWCA Crim 1565: Conviction quashed as a result of inadequate directions on bad character evidence. Adrian did not appear at the trial but was instructed to advise on appeal following conviction.
R v Gani [2014] EWCA Crim 914 - Leave to appeal against sentences for conspiracy to commit robbery.
R v Osman 2013 EWCA Crim 354 - Appeal against sentences imposed of possession of firearms, silencer and expanding ammunition.
R v Takkar 2011 EWCA Crim 646 - Whether the Appellant should be deemed to have obtained a pecuniary advantage equivalent to the benefit figure; whether the Appellant had a criminal lifestyle within the meaning of POCA 2002.
R v Burke 2012 [2012] EWCA Crim 1742 - Leave to appeal against sentence of imprisonment for public protection.
R v Murphy [2012] EWCA Crim 1236 - Appeal against sentence for robbery offences.
R v Channer 2011 EWCA Crim 377 - Appeal against sentence concerning the extent of the discount available to an appellant who believed the drugs to be Class B not Class A.
R v VJA 2010 EWCA Crim 2742 - Interlocutory appeal in SFO prosecution defining the ambit of interlocutory appeals under the CJA 1987.
R v Vaughan [2011] EWCA Crim 2517 - Appeal against sentence for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
R v Kao 2010 2 Cr App R (S) 4 - Appeal against sentence in respect of firearms offences.
R v Shahid 2009 EWCA Crim 831 - Leading case on the effect of bankruptcy orders in confiscation proceeding.
R v Parara 2009 EWCA Crim 2971 - Appeal against sentence in respect of firearms offences.
R v Patterson 2009 1 Cr App R (S) 19 - Sentence reduced in respect of 16 year old convicted of murder.
R v Twomey 2009 EWCA Crim 1035: Arising out of an armed robbery at Heathrow Airport, acting as Respondent in the prosecution appeal against refusal of Crown Court judge to order the first and only ever trial without jury in the history of England & Wales.

Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons v PC - Defending Veterinary Nurse in respect of professional disciplinary breaches.
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons v NS - Successful defence of Veterinary practitioner in respect of multiple charges alleging breaches of the RCVS Code of Conduct.
Powys County Council v CL - Instructed on a direct access basis, secures leave to appeal to the Upper Tier Tribunal against a prohibition order made under s3 of the Estate Agency Act 1979 prohibiting his client from undertaking estate agency work . Instructed to advise and act on appeal.
Ofgem v Race Bank WindFarm Ltd - Advising offshore wind farm on potential offences under the Electricity Act 1989.

Health & Safety

R v EFS - Harrow CC - Health & Safety Executive prosecution of a film studio for alleged breaches of HSE regulations and other statutory offences contrary to the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.
R v PA - Snaresbrook CC - Local authority prosecution for alleged contraventions of the Health & Safety at Work Act.

Housing

R v PA - Local authority prosecution for alleged breaches of Health & Safety Regulations.
R v F&O - Prosecution by Westminster City Council for alleged breaches of Sections 7 & 9 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 namely unauthorised work to a listed building.

Trading Standards

R v PB - Trading standards prosecution arising out of the largest known sale of fraudulent goods. Instructed as Leading Counsel.