R v Siddiqui (Operation Jetson)
Ben Douglas-Jones KC, leading Charlene Sumnall, prosecuted a former paediatric surgeon, who pleaded guilty after two months of a six month trial to multiple offences related to performing non-therapeutic male circumcisions, including 11 assaults causing actual bodily harm (ABH), six cases of cruelty to children, and eight instances of administering prescription-only medicine without authorization.
The prosecution demonstrated that the lack of proper anaesthesia, combined with the physical and psychological trauma inflicted, classified the case not as lawful non-therapeutic harm, but assault.
Media Coverage:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce3l1pw1gwxo
R-V- ZHANG & others -Operation HUAI
Operation Huai was a five month trial prosecuted by Ben Douglas-Jones KC, leading Laura Kenyon, from Red Lion Chambers. It comprised a convoluted web of offences stemming from the operation of "Cloud 9," a sophisticated criminal syndicate managing numerous brothels across London.
Jie Zhang, the mastermind, was convicted of conspiring to facilitate human trafficking, controlling prostitution, and multiple counts of possessing, transferring, and converting criminal property. Her mother, Yuhua Zheng, acted as a financial conduit, receiving and transferring illicit funds via Chinese bank accounts. Zeev Zi-Pear knowingly provided the brothels to Zhang, participating in the operation, while Giulia Manzo, a key "operator," managed bookings, payments and worked under Zhang's direct control.
Sentencing considerations involved complex assessments of culpability, harm caused, and sophisticated money laundering techniques, like international transfers and shell companies. The exploitation of sex workers was of an unparalleled scale. A Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Order was necessary.
https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/6-charged-enslaving-trafficking-sexually-20496750
https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/how-tunbridge-wells-brothel-trio-3007044
R-V- ALAZAWI Mohammed (Operation Riso)
Ben Douglas-Jones KC, leading Charlene Sumnall, represented the prosecution in this complex investigation by the West Midlands and Metropolitan Police. Mohammed Alazawi was convicted of a total of 34 offences including convictions for violent offences, fraud and medical regulatory offences.
The prosecution's case against Alazawi presented a novel and complex application of criminal law to the unregulated practice of non-therapeutic male circumcision. The complexity arose from the multifaceted nature of Alazawi's offending, which was not a single act but a systematic, for-profit enterprise built on a foundation of deceit.
This legal approach forced the court to consider the gravamen of the offence not as the desired circumcision, but as the life-threatening risk created by Alazawi's reckless, untrained, and unhygienic methods. The prosecution argued that his actions, driven by profit and targeting vulnerable families, constituted a grave abuse of trust and a significant danger to the public, requiring the court to navigate a complex sentencing exercise for which there are no direct precedents or guidelines.
Op Unveil
Ben Douglas-Jones KC appeared for the Crown, leading Emma King, from 2 Bedford Row, and Charlotte Hole, from 5 KBW, in two separate related trials concerning money laundering empires run by accountants and graduates in finance through complex company accounts in the UK and Vietnam as part of a Hawala system (a value exchange between two countries) designed to move the proceeds of crime to Vietnam.
Over 2 months (trial 1) and 3 months (trial 2), Ben secured convictions, leading to prison sentences and multimillion pound confiscation proceedings.
Murder - A Forensically Complex Case
R v Thabet March 2021
Ben, leading Debi Gould, prosecuted Ameen Thabet for the murder of his secret former Sharia law wife. After a five week, forensically complex trial he was convicted of her murder. The following day, he confessed. The victim was one of those described in a New York Times article as being “in peril” of not seeing justice and her name was read by Jess Phillips MP in Parliament as one of those women at risk of not seeing justice.
Media Coverage:
BBC News - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-56447380
Daily Mail - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9376731/Businessman-50-jailed-life-strangling-secret-second-wife-death.html
New York Time - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/02/world/europe/uk-coronavirus-domestic-abuse.html
Murder Acquital - Gangland Killing
R v Qadir February 2021
Ben, leading Amy Jackson of St Ives Chambers, Birmingham, represented Mohammed Qadir, who was alleged to have conspired to murder three people shot in the gangland killing of Dante Mullings. He was also alleged to have conspired to possess a firearm to endanger life.
After a three-and-a-half-month trial, Mr Qadir, who burned the car used in the shooting was acquitted of both counts. Four defendants were convicted and sentenced to a total of 113 years’ imprisonment.
Media Coverage:
Daily Mail - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9458941/Four-men-jailed-total-113-years-conspiring-murder.html
Daily Mirror - https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/car-sprayed-bullets-deadly-drive-23450113
Convictions In Brutal Robbery, Fraud and Manslaughter Case
R v Sweeney and Cronin
Ben, leading Justin Jarmola of St Ives Chambers, Birmingham, successfully prosecuted Sean Sweeney and Sharon Cronin for the robbery, fraud and manslaughter of Mark Lloyd. Cronin ran a technical psychological defence which was rejected by the jury.
Media Coverage:
BBC News - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-54343588
Birmingham Mail - https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/live-mark-lloyd-trial-manslaughter-18969540
Drive By Murder
2020
R v Q - a drive-by shooting of three men, including the alleged murder of one.
Media Coverage:
BBC News - Ladywood shooting: Man killed by 'masked men in drive-by'
Baby Shaking Case
2020
R v L - a baby shaking case involving experts in 5 disciplines.
Manslaughter
2020
R v C - A case involving a one-punch manslaughter.
The Murder Of A Child Murderer
2019 - R v Harley et al - High-profile murder of David Gaut who was stabbed 200 times after being released from a 33 year sentence for the murder of a child.
Ben was The Times Lawyer of the Week following his prosecution of this murder (leading Tim Evans of Apex Chambers).
Media Coverage:
BBC News: Gaut killed 33 years after 'worst crime in the land'
The Guardian: Man, 23, found guilty of murdering child killer David Gaut
The Independent: David Gaut: Child killer mutilated so badly 'you could not tell how many times he was stabbed', court hears
Sky News: Man who stabbed child killer David Gaut 150 times is jailed for life
The Sun: BABY KILLER Who was David Gaut? Child killer who murdered Chi Ming Shek in 1985
R v Smith
2019
Ben is representing a defendant on appeal following his conviction for a sexualoffence said to have been committed in 1969.
Operation Embow
2018-2019
Ben is prosecuting a case involving international baby smuggling.
Operation Triangle
2018-2019
Ben, leading Tim Evans, prosecuting, secured the conviction of Ieuan Harley for the high profile murder of David Gaut and the convictions of Harley, David Osborne and Darran Evesham for perverting the course of justice in cleaning the murder scene and disposing of evidence. It was a forensically complex case.
R. v D [2016] EWCA Crim 454; [2016] 4 W.L.R. 122; [2016] 2 Cr. App. R. 18; [2016] Crim. L.R. 569
Ben appeared in an important appeal concerning defective indictments and the substitution of offences on appeal.
R. v M [2016] 2 Cr. App. R. 20
Ben appeared in an appeal concerning the presumption of incapacity of committing a crime in historical offences where doli incapax applied. The presumption could only be rebutted by the prosecution by clear positive evidence, not consisting merely of evidence of the acts amounting to the offence itself, but that the appellant knew that his act was seriously wrong as distinct from mere naughtiness or childish mischief. Where such incidents formed bad character evidence then the presumption was irrelevant.
Baby Smuggling [2013-2014]
Ben is currently prosecuting a series of cases involving the smuggling of babies from African states into the United Kingdom.
Operation Throughout [2012-2013]
Ben secured the conviction of a defendant for importing 144 kilograms of ketamine from India.
Operations Cook, Siberian, Tuna and other related UKBA and Serious Organised Crime Agency operations [2012-2013]
Ben and Justin Cole were judicially commended by HHJ Ross for their conduct of a complex and substantial drugs importation trial at the Crown Court at Reading.
The case brought together six separate investigations by the Serious Organised Crime Agency, the UKBA and Police. It involved over 2½ tonnes of cannabis and 20 kilograms of cocaine. The six men indicted were all convicted, with the first defendant receiving a sentence of 24 years’ imprisonment. Click here for the BBC News report of the case.
Regina v B [2009-2011]
Financially motivated murder of wife by assassin.
Regina v E [2011-2012]
Defence Counsel for a man labelled “the biggest drug dealer in Wales” by the Prosecution in a multi-national drug dealing conspiracy.
Regina v F [2009-2010]
Defence Counsel in conspiracy to cause arson with intent to endanger life through a campaign of petrol bombing.
Regina v I [2009]
Defence Counsel for man facing multiple rape and other sexual allegations in case which was stopped following a submission of no case to answer based upon a honeytrap defence.
Regina v Batchelor [2009]
Defence Counsel for a man known as the Glasgow Goldfinger and the Menace of Mayfair in an early case involving a Serious Crime Prevention Order.
Ben Douglas-Jones KC
The Chambers of
Miranda Moore KC And Julian Christopher KC
E: bdj@5pb.co.uk
T: 0207 583 6117
www.bendouglas-jones.com