Nick Murphy

Barrister

Nick accepts instructions in all of chambers' practice areas. He regularly acts for clients charged with serious and complex criminal offences.

Nick is a highly regarded junior practising in all areas of criminal defence. He has experience in matters far exceeding his year of call and is well liked by professional and lay clients alike. He is particularly adept at dealing with legally and factually difficult cases, and in cases involving the analysis of complex documentation.

He has particular expertise in allegations of white-collar crime, fraud, corruption, and bribery. Nick has experience in all areas of financial offending, including applications for confiscation, compensation and the disqualification of directors.

Appointments

2013 – 2016 Independent Monitoring Board, HMP Brixton

Qualifications

BPTC – City, University of London (2015)
LLB (Hons), Law – City, University of London (2014)
MA (Hons), English Literature – University of St Andrews (2012)

Awards

2016 Kalisher Trust Essay Prize
2014 Lord Denning Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn
2013 Hardwicke Entrance Award, Lincoln’s Inn
2013 Lord Bowen Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn

Professional Memberships

Criminal Bar Association
Young Fraud Lawyers Association
Howard League for Penal Reform

R v LM – Secured the acquittal of a man charged with the point-blank murder of a drug-dealing associate. The case required extensive analysis of cell site material in order to prove the deceased’s links to firearms and high-level drug dealing. Led junior. (Central Criminal Court).
R v Baldauf [2023] EWCA Crim 282 – Represented a man accused of the exportation of 500kg of MDMA from the United Kingdom to Australia. Prosecuted under the umbrella of Operation Venetic, the case required detailed analysis of a number of Encrochat handles. Led junior. (Kingston Crown Court).
R v Fryer [2022] EWCA Crim 1837 – Acted post-conviction in an appeal against a finding of dangerousness. The Court of Appeal quashed the sentencing judge’s finding and re-sentenced the defendant to a determinate sentence.
R v AA – Instructed to defend a man accused of a series of modern slavery defences. The case has required extensive analysis of CCTV. Ongoing. Led junior.
R v Hassan [2020] EWCA Crim 1314 – Led junior. Attempted murder and multiple violent disorders across Leicester city centre. Successfully defeated an application for an Attorney General’s Reference and acted for the defendant on appeal during which the Court of Appeal gave important guidance on identification of suspects by police officers using CCTV. (Leicester Crown Court)
R v DW – Successful submission of no case to answer. The defendant was said to have been involved in the supply of Class A drugs. (Harrow Crown Court)
R v JP – Represented a defendant at trial charged with ABH against his former partner. Despite the admission of bad character evidence, the defendant was acquitted. (Preston Crown Court)
R v GG – Defendant accused of breaching his restraining order by contacting his former partner via Facebook. Secured acquittal at trial. (Ipswich Crown Court)
R v GM – Acquittal after 10 minutes for a defendant charged with threats to kill and common assault in a domestic context. (Inner London Crown Court)
R v FR – Secured a suspended sentence for a client charged with grievous bodily harm. The complainant’s jaw was fractured in a number of places and the offence was aggravated by a ‘total lack of remorse’. (Cambridge Crown Court)
R v PB – Successfully persuaded the court to impose a suspended for a client accused of a number of high value commercial burglaries and an assault on a police officer. (Wood Green Crown Court)
R v NP – Represented an accountant employed by a Big Four firm accused of an assault. The defendant was acquitted following a submission of no case to answer. (Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court)
R v R – Successfully applied to stay proceedings as an abuse of process having argued that the police failed in their duty to seize crucial CCTV evidence. (Stevenage Magistrates’ Court)

R v VL – Successful defence of a college lecturer charged with laundering the proceeds of a £1 million fraud on life-insurance companies. The prosecution alleged that she had received over £500,000 in her accounts, of which £300,000 was withdrawn in cash. Led junior. (Southwark Crown Court)
R v MB and others – instructed to defend a man charged by Essex Trading Standards accused of supplying central heating equipment which was alleged either to be unnecessary or else which did not work in the way contented by the defendants. The case was voluminous and spanned many years. The prosecution offered no evidence after a successful section 8 application required them to undertake a wholesale re-evaluation of their case. Led junior. (Southwark Crown Court)
R v HG – Defended a church warden accused of taking money from church collections and failing to bank them. He was also accused of a separate fraud in respect of a charity of which he was a trustee. Persuaded the prosecution to offer no evidence following the service of defence evidence which fatally undermined the prosecution case. (Oxford Crown Court)
R v AD –Represented an independent financial advisor accused of claiming inflated commission by repeatedly moving his clients’ pension investments between funds. The case required detailed consideration of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Led junior. (Leeds Crown Court)
R v RH – Led junior. Represented a solicitor who was accused of laundering the proceeds of the HBOS fraud estimated to have cost the bank £245m. Acquitted. (Southwark Crown Court)
R v HD – represented a young man accused of being a driver in a courier fraud. Extensive analysis of cell site and ANPR material was required. (Teesside Crown Court)
R v AB – Represented a defendant in a diamond fraud with an overall value of around £500,000. (Basildon Crown Court)
Unaoil – Assisted with case preparation while on secondment to a specialist White Collar firm. (Southwark Crown Court)