Peter Binder

SIGNIFICANT CASES

• Brandt, Bristol, 2019 - Acted as trial counsel for defendant charged with conspiracy to murder and attempting to possess gun and ammunition after contracting with undercover officer to be supplied with firearm and other items so that he could kill and dismember ex-fiancée living in Prague. Successfully submitted no case to answer on basis (a) no conspiracy existed in Law, and (b) extra-territoriality principles prevented prosecution in this jurisdiction for firearms offences to be completed abroad. Client then pleaded guilty mid-way through trial to encouraging the commission of an offence.
• Griffiths, Bristol, 2019 - Acted for a 17 year old schoolboy who had stabbed his girlfriend to death in her home after she had ended their relationship. High profile and difficult case. Timely plea of guilty and other mitigation resulted in a minimum term of 12 and a half years.
• Davies, Gloucester, 2019 - Appeared at trial as leading counsel for defendant charged with attempting to obtain handgun and ammunition for use in Columbine High School style mass shooting in Gloucester where he had been bullied while at school. Only third case of its type in UK.
• Parker, Southwark, 2018 - Represented one of six defendants party to £2.8 million investment fraud, said to be the second largest prosecution ever brought by the Financial Conduct Authority. Voluminous amount of material involved (over 1.4 million documents evidentially reviewed). Timely plea of guilty and comprehensive sentencing submissions resulted in client being only defendant to avoid sentence of immediate custody.
• Shaw, Swindon, 2017 - Appeared as trial counsel for defendant charged with 30 counts of rape and other serious sexual offences against 5 complainants. Client acquitted of all charges following 3 trial lasting 3 weeks.
• Dhaskali, Bristol, 2016 - Appeared as trial counsel for defendant charged with attempted murder. Alleged victim stabbed 8 times, including once to heart, and life saved due to fast actions of nurse who happened to be on scene. Client acquitted.
• Boyd, Guildford, 2015 - Appeared as sole trial counsel for wedding guest charged with murder and two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent after fight at wedding reception. Client acquitted of murder, but convicted of manslaughter and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
• R v DJ, Guildford, 2013 & 2014 - Led for the defence in eight linked sets of proceedings of child abduction, grooming, rape and other sexual offences. Two 4 week trials. Case described by trial judge as the most distressing she had encountered in 20 years on the circuit bench. A 33 year custodial term reduced to 30 on appeal.
• Andrews, Southwark, 2013 - Acted as lead advocate for one of principal defendants in £10 million banking fraud spanning period of 8 years. Substantial and complex confiscation issues involving criminal property located in overseas jurisdictions and held through use of offshore trusts.
• Woolley, Guildford, 2012 - Represented Russian ‘Escort Girl’ charged with murder of retired accountant. Client convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 3 years’ imprisonment.
• Gordon, Winchester, 2012 - Represented company director facing allegations of fraud and false accounting in relation to the provision of logistics services to major US (Nasdaq quoted) telecommunications company. Complexity of disclosure issues raised concerning company’s accounting practices subsequent to its filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in US resulted in prosecution eventually offering no evidence.
• Clinton, Reading, 2011 - Acted as leading counsel for client charged with murder in one of first cases to involve the then recent ‘loss of control’ provisions.
• Sagoo, Southwark, 2011 - Represented ‘millionaire confidence trickster’ with organised crime links in a number of cases involving high level offences of deception, fraud and money laundering.
• Bashir, Manchester, 2011 - Client, alleged 'hit-man', acquitted of conspiracy to supply cocaine after 12 weeks trial. Co-defendant sentenced to 21 years.
• Baigent, Southwark, 2010 - Acted for company director convicted of role in £250 million ‘carousel’ fraud following 10–year investigation by HMRC (Operation Euripus) which resulted in 42 arrests, over 100 premises being searched, and over half a million documents being seized. Assets held off-shore; substantial confiscation proceedings.
• Appleby-Walker, Birmingham, 2008 - Represented company accountant charged in connection with conspiracy to defraud IKEA and bribery of IKEA employees in order to ensure the by-passing of internal IKEA accounting controls. Well in excess of 100,000 pages of evidential material. Case prosecuted by the SFO. Client acquitted. 
• Massar, Kingston, 2006 - £100 million money laundering conspiracy involving the banking of cash in off-shore trusts. Trial took 9 months. Client acquitted following application to stay proceedings due to disclosure failures on the part of HMRC.
• Lang, Winchester, 2005 - Leading Counsel for the defence of Guildford Police officer charged with on-duty rape of crime victim. Client acquitted after re-trial.
• Millman, CCC, 2003 - Acted for principal defendant in the “Dome Robbery’ case until his death shortly before trial.
• Van Hoogstraten, CCC, 2002 - Appeared as Junior Counsel for the well-known property magnate at his trial on charges of murder and conspiracy to murder.
• Blandford, Middlesex Guildhall, 2000 - Amid much press interest secured the acquittal of the well-known Marquess at his trial for the shoplifting of designer sunglasses from Harvey Nichols.