Duncan Jones

Barrister

Duncan Jones specialises in criminal and white-collar defence advice, advocacy and investigations. He is ranked as a leading junior in Chambers & Partners for Financial Crime, and in the Legal 500 for both Fraud and Business and Regulatory Crime (including Global Investigations).

Duncan advises individual and business clients facing investigation and prosecution by a range of agencies, including the Serious Fraud Office, the US Department of Justice, HM Revenue and Customs, the Financial Conduct Authority, and the Crown Prosecution Service.

He is frequently instructed to represent professionals, high profile, and high net-worth individuals in relation to sensitive matters. He has acted for individuals at trial and pre-charge in several major SFO investigations and was junior defence counsel for Ziad Akle in relation to Unaoil, eventually resulting in the Court of Appeal quashing convictions because of SFO disclosure failures (R v Akle [2021] EWCA Crim 1879).

Duncan is an experienced trial advocate. His practice encompasses proceedings at all levels of the English criminal courts. His recent cases include boiler-room frauds, international VAT and excise diversion fraud, international bribery and corruption, and ‘rogue trader’ fraud worth many millions of pounds.

In 2017-18 Duncan was part of a transatlantic team representing Richard Usher, a former foreign exchange trader who was prosecuted by the US Department of Justice for conspiracy to fix prices in the $5 trillion-per-day global foreign exchange market. Mr Usher was acquitted of all charges by a federal jury in the Southern District of New York.

Duncan has specialist experience of litigation concerning the proceeds of crime, including account freezing orders, cash (and other property) seizure and forfeiture proceedings, restraint and asset recovery. He worked as a Legal Officer in the criminal finance litigation department of HM Revenue and Customs and has represented various defendants facing confiscation enforcement proceedings, as well as third parties seeking to protect their interests in confiscation and restraint proceedings. He has extensive experience representing offshore corporations in proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and challenges to search warrants and production orders.

He advises businesses, professional services firms, charities, and independent schools in relation to anti-money-laundering and Suspicious Activity Reports. He has rapidly developing experience advising crypto-currency traders in relation to money laundering investigations.

In general crime, Duncan has successfully defended clients facing allegations of organised crime including national conspiracies to supply drugs, conspiracy to handle stolen goods, conspiracy to import tobacco, and conspiracy to rob. He has acted for defendants accused serious violence, weapons offences and sexual offences. In 2016-17 he was a led junior in the largest ‘modern-slavery’ trial ever prosecuted in this jurisdiction.

Duncan has substantial experience of a range of motoring law matters including drink and drug driving, dangerous driving, careless driving, vehicle and licencing offences. He is experienced in assisting defendants in relation to prosecutions involving fatal accidents.

Duncan has advised businesses and individuals accused in regulatory proceedings including for breaches of Human Medicines Regulation, environmental offences, and police disciplinary hearings.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Duncan worked at Corker Binning, a leading firm of solicitors, where he gained considerable experience of a range of white collar and general criminal matters including international bribery and corruption, fraud, regulatory offences, serious violence, sexual offences and driving offences. Clients included governments, corporations, bankers, politicians, sportsmen and private individuals. He worked on several high-profile investigations and prosecutions including the parliamentary expenses investigation, the Pakistan cricketers’ spot-fixing trial, and preparations for the trial of Vicky Pryce and Chris Huhne

Testimonials

"Duncan Jones specialises in white-collar crime defence work. He is known for working on high-profile cases, often those involving an international element. He acts for individuals in major SFO investigations." - Chambers UK 2024, Financial Crime
"Incredibly sought after junior. Instructed in sone of the most complex business crime cases. Intelligent and tactically astute." - Legal 500 2024, Business and Regulatory Crime (including Global Investigations)
"Duncan has a truly exceptional intellect which he combines with tactical pragmatism. His written work is impeccable and he is very calm and measured as an advocate. He is a silk in the making." - Legal 500 2024, Fraud: Crime
“Duncan is smart, insightful, incisive and a future star of the Bar." - Legal 500 2023: Business and Regulatory Crime (including Global Investigations)
“Duncan is excellent. Hard-working and committed, with great insight on strategic issues and a complete understanding of the landscape.” - Legal 500 2023: Fraud: Crime.
“He knows the law inside out." - Chambers UK 2023: Financial Crime.
“Duncan is fantastic. He is bright, helpful and has great judgement." - Chambers UK 2023: Financial Crime.
“He is a delight to work with” - Chambers UK 2023: Financial Crime.
“Trusted and well-liked by clients” - Legal 500 2022: Business and Regulatory Crime.
“Duncan's drafting is fantastic, and so is his calm and measured approach.” - Legal 500 2022: Business and Regulatory Crime.
“Incredibly diligent and hardworking” - Legal 500 2022: Business and Regulatory Crime.
“Really gets into the detail of a case.”- Legal 500 2022: Business and Regulatory Crime.
“An unbelievably hard worker with total mastery of the papers. He can see the wood for the trees. Excellent client care skills.” - Legal 500 2021: Business and Regulatory Crime.
“Personable with clients and calm in a crisis”- Legal 500 2020: Business and Regulatory Crime.

Education

BPTC - City Law School (Outstanding) (2011)
LLB (Joint Hons.) Law and Human Rights - University of Essex (2008)

Prizes / Awards

Michael Jaffa Prize (2013)
Inner Temple prize for outstanding performance in BPTC examinations (2011)
Winner of the national BPTC criminal trial competition (2011)
Inner Temple exhibitioner (2010)

SFO

Unaoil – Southwark Crown Court – bribery and corruption - Junior trial counsel for an individual prosecuted by the SFO for alleged corruption relating to oil contracts in post-war Iraq. Continues to act in relation to appeal and confiscation proceedings.
G4S – Southwark Crown Court (ongoing) – Fraud – Junior counsel for an individual prosecuted for alleged fraud in connection with Electronic Monitoring contracts between G4S and the Ministry of Justice. Due for trial in 2023.
SFO investigations – Confidential pre-charge work for individuals investigated by the SFO in relation to high-profile allegations of corruption in the mining and natural resources sector.

Fraud and Money Laundering

USA v Usher - Foreign exchange trader prosecuted by the US Department of Justice for criminal cartel offences relating to an alleged conspiracy to fix prices in the $5 trillion-per-day global foreign exchange market.
R v AF – Isleworth Crown Court – Removal of Criminal Property from UK – defendant admitted removing £104 million in cash from the UK to the UAE on commercial airline flights.

Fraud

R v HM & Others – Leeds Crown Court – Conspiracy to cheat the revenue – Led junior for director of company used for large-scale VAT and excise diversion fraud.
R v MF & Others – Southwark Crown Court – Conspiracy to defraud – Led junior for first defendant, a director of Crown Land Securities Ltd. Alleged £2.1m land banking fraud.
R v MH & NJ – Snaresbrook Crown Court – Conspiracy to defraud and money laundering - Led junior for one of two directors of diamond investment firm acquitted after exclusion of key expert evidence in relation to the diamond commodities market. Alleged £1.5m boiler room fraud and money laundering.
R v AS – Guildford Crown Court – £180,000 confidence fraud.
R v KD – Wood Green Crown Court – acquittal of ‘rogue trader’ accused of defrauding pensioners.

Asset Seizure and Forfeiture

Acts for a variety of clients in relation to cash seizure and asset forfeiture matters, including extensive experience of advising and representing currency exchange and money transfer businesses.
Acting for a crypto-currency trader in asset forfeiture proceedings and in a parallel judicial review of search warrants obtained under POCA.

Restraint and Confiscation

X Incorporated – Southwark Crown Court – acting for an offshore corporation seeking to protect its interest in assets alleged to form part of available amount in confiscation proceedings exceeding £30m related to large-scale fraud and money laundering in connection with the former governor of Delta State, Nigeria.
R v WB & others – Harrow Crown Court – Alleged £14m in benefit from immigration fraud. Prosecution alleged £14m in hidden assets. Court found no hidden assets. Final order less than £100,000,
R v R – Kingston Crown Court – Alleged £6.25m benefit and £1.2m in realisable assets – complex asset tracing.
R v J – Blackfriars Crown Court – Successful application for certificate of inadequacy relating to overseas assets attributed to convicted boiler-room fraudster.
R v H & H - Bristol Crown Court - Application to vary restraint order - Complex application involving properties in various jurisdictions, assets in probate, and complex tax liabilities in the UK and abroad. Variation granted in full following three full hearings contested by the CPS.
MP Ltd – Advice to car dealership seeking to dispose of restrained assets purchased in good faith.

R v R & Others - Nottingham Crown Court – Conspiracy to Require Forced or Compulsory Labour (‘modern slavery’). Described by the trial judge as the longest and most complex trial of its kind ever conducted in this country.
R v RM - Court of Appeal – led-junior in appeal against conviction for gross-negligence manslaughter on building site.
Operation Juice - Birmingham Crown Court – National conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs.
R v W - Maidstone Crown Court – Conspiracy to handle stolen goods acquittal of defendant accused of involvement in sophisticated conspiracy relating to £350,000 in stolen vehicle parts.
R v LA & Another - Snaresbrook Crown Court – s18 GBH with intent – ‘One punch’ assault causing serious permanent brain injury. Defendant received suspended sentence.
R v TH - Wood Green Crown Court – Immigration officer accused of possession of extreme pornography. Charges arose from investigation the ‘Fake Sheikh’ for the Sun newspaper. Defendant acquitted.
R v W - St Albans Crown Court - Attempted s18 GBH with intent and dangerous driving. Secured acquittal of defendant with previous conviction for death by dangerous driving alleged to have driven at victim three times in premeditated attack intended to cause serious injuries.
R v P - Maidstone Crown Court – Conspiracy to import tobacco – led junior with conduct of trial during prosecution case. Defendant acquitted following submission of no case to answer.
R v SB & Others - Southwark Crown Court – series of violent robberies in Pimlico area in which high-value items were stolen.
R v PH - Newcastle Crown Court – high-profile football agent accused of aggravated burglary following dispute with ex-wife.
R v OK - Canterbury Crown Court – Death by dangerous driving - defendant admitted dangerous driving while under the influence of drugs. Deceased was defendant’s mother. Suspended sentence.
R v DW - Birmingham Magistrates’ Court – Senior university employee accused of harassment of ex-partner. Acquitted following 3-day trial.
R v CS - St Albans Crown Court – Road rage / dangerous driving in which defendant deliberately rammed other drivers off a duel-carriageway. Defendant received suspended sentence.
R v RT - Southwark Crown Court – father acquitted of ABH in relation to alleged hammer attack on his daughter’s ex-partner.
R v P - Southwark Crown Court – Sexual assault – Acquittal of defendant accused of assaulting a stranger in West End nightclub.
R v FP - Central Criminal Court – ABH following meeting after night out at Raffles nightclub. Trial attracted considerable press coverage.
R v JS - Blackfriars Crown Court – Possession of firearm with intent – defendant involved in shooting of innocent bystander at a wake.
R v JC - Basildon Crown Court – Racially aggravated assault – defendant on life-licence acquitted.
R v IS - Croydon Crown Court – Importation of 3kg high-purity cocaine.
R v A - Brent Youth Court – youth defendant accused of ‘revenge porn’ offence, serious sexual assault and blackmail (certificate for counsel).
R v M - Woolwich Crown Court – Restauranteur acquitted of ABH in alleged fight with rival business owner.
R v SM - Leicester Crown Court – Supply of class A and B drugs – alleged leading role. Court found lesser role following Newton hearing and the defendant received a suspended sentence.
R v AB - Woolwich Crown Court – Defendant acquitted of possession with intent to supply 500g of cannabis and bladed article found on rear seat of defendant’s vehicle.
R v M - Wood Green Crown Court – University professor acquitted of racially aggravated assault on barrister.
R v MP - Central Criminal Court – theft of £40,000 worth of handbags from Harrods.
R v TLB & Others - Croydon Crown Court – multi-handed affray in which knives, a Taser and an asp were brandished. Defendant acquitted.
R v C - Feltham Youth Court – Firearms - acquittal of youth defendant after six days of evidence and legal argument (certificate for counsel issued for ‘grave and complex’ crime tried in the youth court).
R v NY - Judicial review – successful challenge of police and CPS decision to charge a youth defendant with possession of cannabis.
R v P - Southwark Crown Court – Sexual assault – Acquittal of defendant accused of assaulting a stranger in West End nightclub.
R v RHW - Bournemouth Crown Court – Theft of priceless Faberge eggs – suspended prison sentence.
R v JD - Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court – successful defence of high profile fashion photographer accused of assault.
R v CP - Snaresbrook Crown Court – Possession of prohibited firearm and affray.
R v Q - Isleworth Crown Court – ABH – Acquittal of first defendant in multi-handed trial of alleged ‘honour crime’.
R v T - Kingston Crown Court - Handling stolen goods – Acquittal following submission of no case to answer.
R v A - Southwark Crown Court – Robbery.
R v M - St Albans Crown Court – Possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.
R v W - Harrow Crown Court – Possession with intent to supply Class B drugs.
R v L - Southwark Crown Court – Breach of ASBO – “Pigeon Lady of Pimlico” sentenced to 12-month supervision order. Vulnerable defendant previously found unfit to plead.
R v Tweed - Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court – represented former Big Brother contestant and widower of Jade Goody on assault and criminal damage charges.
R v MD Ltd - Represented insurance brokerage accused of road traffic offences.
R v Brooks, Coulson & Others - Phone Hacking Trial – noting junior.

Extradition

Republic of Latvia v F - Westminster Magistrates’ Court - European Arrest Warrant discharged on the basis that extradition would breach Article 8 rights of the requested person and his family.

Bedfordshire Police v LB - Contested police disciplinary hearing following allegations of sexual offences and misconduct in a public office.
LB Southwark v JB Ltd - Cosmetics business accused of offences contrary to Human Medicines Regulations, Cosmetics Enforcement Regulations, and the Trademarks Act.
R v TB - Westminster Magistrates Court - Accountant accused of regulatory offences associated with unauthorised immigration advice.