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Attempted Murder
Prosecution counsel in an attempted murder trial. The defendant went to the home address of the victim in the early hours of the morning and slashed her throat. Instructed by CPS, London.
Family Fraud following Grenfell Disaster
Leading prosecution counsel in an eight-week trial. All defendants were members of the same family. They were charged with various allegations of fraud that arose from representations made in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower disaster. Instructed by CPS, SCU.
Murder
Prosecution of a man charged with murder. Instructed by CPS, Homicide.
Led by Bill Boyce KC.
People-smuggling gang linked to 39 migrant deaths in Essex
Ben Holt was instructed as lead prosecution counsel in this trial that arose from the investigation into the thirty-nine Vietnamese nationals who died in the rear of a lorry. Ben was previously instructed as led junior [led by Bill Emlyn-Jones KC] in the prosecution of a man for thirty-nine counts of manslaughter. Instructed by CPS, SEOCID.
Murder & Prevention of Lawful Burial
Successful prosecution of three defendants charged with murder and prevention of a lawful burial. The trial took three months. The prosecution called family members of the defendants in order to prove the case. Defendants jailed for life, minimum term thirty-four years. The Judge concluded that it was a sadistic murder. Instructed by CPS, Homicide.
Led by Allison Hunter KC [now HHJ Hunter KC].
Attempted Murder of Mother
Sole prosecution counsel in this trial. The defendant was alleged to have attempted to murder his mother. Defence was insanity. Expert evidence called by both prosecution and defence. Hung jury. Instructed by CPS London.
Death by Careless Driving
The defendant had run over a man who was lying down in the middle of the road. The trial involved analysis of mobile phone usage. Defendant pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. Hung jury in respect of death by dangerous driving.
[Instructed by CPS, Homicide].
Importation of Class A Drugs
Defendants alleged to have imported approximately 100kgs of cocaine using a network of lorry drivers. Evidence comes from Operation Venetic.
Leading.
Twenty One Hander Loan Fraud
Leading Junior for the Crown. Twenty-one handed indictment alleging a loan fraud carried out against NatWest Bank. This trial dealt with the first seven-defendants. The fraud was operated by defendants who ran a finance company in Wood Green. Two defendants were ‘inside men’ and worked within the bank. The value of the fraud was in excess of £1m.
[Instructed by CPS, SFD].
Stabbing by 15 year old bo
Lead prosecution counsel. The defendant, a 15 year-old boy, accused of attempted murder having stabbed an acquaintance, who was 14 years of age, a total of seventeen times.
[Instructed by CPS, London]
Homicide Allegation
Homicide allegation – stabbing in Tottenham. Instructed by CPS, Homicide.
Led by Bill Boyce KC.
Investment Fraud
Ben Holt led for the prosecution in this trial of two defendants alleged convicted of committing fraud by abuse of position in relation to investments made on behalf of clients. Both were directors of an advisory business. They fraudulently advised their clients to invest in an investment scheme that they had set up. Both businesses failed; leaving their clients at a financial loss. [Instructed by CPS, SFD Manchester].
One Punch Manslaughter
Sole prosecution counsel in a ‘one-punch manslaughter’ trial. The defendant and deceased were arguing. The defendant stood up and punch the deceased once in the head. It caused him to fall back and hit his head; resulting in catastrophic brain injuries and death. Instructed by CPS, Homicide.
One Punch Manslaughter
Ben Holt was sole prosecution counsel in a ‘one-punch manslaughter’ trial.
VAT evasion
Lead prosecutor in a six-handed VAT evasion trial. The defendants were convicted of setting up a warehouse in Essex that was used to divert alcohol that should have been travelling under bond. The scheme was running for almost a year; the total loss to the Revenue was over £2m. Instructed by CPS, SFD Liverpool.
Attempted Murder of mothers partner
Prosecution of a man for attempted murder. He attacked his mother’s partner with a baseball bat. Instructed by CPS, London.
Three Handed Murder
Three-handed murder trial at the Central Criminal Court. First defendant charged with murdering a fellow resident at the YMCA hostel in Wimbledon. Two further defendants alleged to have helped him conceal the murder weapon in a vent. Case involved detailed analysis of hours of CCTV footage. Instructed by CPS, Homicide.
Led by Anthony Orchard KC
Death by Dangerous Driving
Prosecution of young defendant for causing death by dangerous driving. The deceased was fifteen years of age and riding an e-scooter at the time of the collision. Instructed by CPS, Homicide.
Conspiracy to supply 250kgs of Cocaine
Lead prosecution counsel in a five-handed large-scale drug supply conspiracy. The main two-defendants were alleged to have been involved in the supply of 250kgs of cocaine over a two-year period. Instructed by CPS, SCU.
Attempted Murder
15 year-old defendant charged with attempted murder. Stabbed the victim on fifteen occasions in a street in East London.
Jury discharged; re-trial in 2023.
Conspiracy to Supply Cocaine
Leading junior. Five-handed conspiracy to supply cocaine trial. Evidence obtained as part of Operation Venetic. Defendants alleged to be involved in conspiracy to supply £10m of cocaine. [Instructed by CPS, SCU]
Two-handed Murder
Two-handed murder trial. First defendant stabbed the deceased in clear view of CCTV cameras. Second-defendant was in the vicinity at the time that the fatal wound was concerned. Case required detailed submissions in relation to joint enterprise. Instructed by CPS, Homicide.
Led by Bill Boyce KC
Murder
Led junior for the prosecution in a three-handed murder [Instructed by CPS, Homicide Unit].
Deceased stabbed to death in Parsons Green.
Conspiracy to Supply Class A
Leading Junior. Seven-handed conspiracy to supply cocaine allegation. Evidence comes from Operation Venetic material and surveillance operation [Instructed by CPS, London].
Six defendants convicted; no evidence offered against the seventh.
Sentence awaited.
Money Laundering
Ten-handed money laundering conspiracy. [Instructed by CPS, IJOC].
The two main defendants were tried in September/October 2021.
As well as laundering significant cash sums they are also said to have been involved in laundering the proceeds of frauds carried out on the Bounce Back Loan scheme.
Both defendants convicted and sentenced to 17 and 16 years’ imprisonment.
Attempted Murder
Ben Holt was Leading junior for the Crown in four-handed prosecution for attempted murder. The victim was shot at point-blank range by an individual with a sawn-off shotgun.
Manslaughter
Prosecution of a cyclist for manslaughter. Defendant had cycled through a red light which caused a collision with a pedestrian who died. Defendant convicted of a s35 OAPA offence and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. Instructed by CPS Homicide.
Commendation received from the Police Team.
Aggravated Burglary
Three-handed aggravated burglary [Instructed by CPS, Kent]. Defendants sentenced to over thirty years’ imprisonment.
People Smuggling
Disclosure junior. Investigation into the 39 Vietnamese nationals who died in a lorry in Essex.
Attempted arson with intent to endanger life
Ben Holt acted for the Crown in this case where the Defendant was convicted of attempted arson with intent to endanger life after placing an incendiary device in the exhaust pipe of a diplomatic car parked outside the Iranian Embassy [Instructed by CPS, CTD].
Buying a grenade over the ‘dark web’
Ben Holt acted for the Crown in this case where the Defendant was convicted of buying a grenade over the ‘dark web’ [Instructed by CPS, Thames & Chiltern CCU].
Grenfell Tower Fraud
Ben Holt prosecuted this two-handed trial. Both defendants were convicted by a jury of having committed fraud by lying that they were living in Grenfell Tower at the time of the disaster [Instructed by CPS, SCU].
Attempted Murder of Police Officers
James Brown led Ben Holt for the Crown in this high profile trial involving the attempted murder of Police Officers during a gun fight following an armed ‘car jacking’. The defendant was convicted by a jury and received a life sentence.
Conspiracy to defraud the N.H.S and D.o.H
Ben Holt appeared in this 8-week, seven-handed, prosecution trial acting as led junior. Allegations related to the application to the Department of Health for grants in order to improve care homes by a Hospice in Somerset. Seven-handed conspiracy to defraud the NHS and DoH in relation to tenders made for building projects. Instructed by CPS SFD Manchester.
£Multi-Million MTIC Fraud
James Martin, leading Ben Holt, were instructed on behalf of Mr Aslam by Bark & Co Solicitors.
The case was an MTIC Fraud which was part and parcel of Import Duty Diversion on Beers, Wines and Spirits. According to HMRC the OCG were accountable for significant losses to the UK Exchequer through associated large scale VAT and Excise duty frauds. The group also conducted a substantial money laundering operation in relation to the proceeds of these crimes which was believed to be in excess of £86 million.
13 different individuals were said to be involved along with a whole host of MTIC and Buffer companies some of which sold on the BWS to end user Cash & Carries who were never investigated.
The case was split into two trials with Mr Aslam D1 in Trial 2. As the case developed there were significant issues with the evidence and associated disclosure problems which related to material that had been withheld by HMRC and should have been disclosed far in advance of the trial itself. After considerable legal argument in Mr Aslam’s case we were able to restrict the alleged loss to HMRC to less than £7k.
Ultimately Mr Aslam was convicted but only received a Suspended Sentence Order.
Importation of Anabolic Steroids from India & Singapore
Ben Holt has successfully prosecuted a case involving the importation of unlicensed anabolic steroids (AAS) from India and Singapore. The gang imported more than 40 tonnes of illicit anabolic steroids and is said to be ‘the most prolific of its kind ever uncovered'. One member of that gang was also linked to another gang involved in the production and distribution of steroids from an underground AAS factory in the United Kingdom. Five Defendants were convicted following two six week trials.
Instructed by the CPS Organised Crime Division; investigated by the NCA in Belfast.
Multi handed conspiracy to money launder and commit fraud
Jonathan Polnay led Ben Holt for the Crown in this seven-handed conspiracy to launder the proceeds of a two-million-pound fraud. Instructed by CPS Specialist Fraud Division.
£7 million Ponzi Fraud Scheme
Ben Holt led Junior counsel in Prosecution of two defendants accused of a ‘Ponzi’ fraud. Losses amongst the defendants exceeded £7m. Both defendants convicted after trial. Both received the maximum sentence available – 10 years’ imprisonment.
Rape of ex-wife and two daughters
Ben Holt, instructed by the RASSO Unit at the CPS and led by Catherine Pattison. Trial of defendant who was accused of raping his ex-wife and two daughters. Convicted and sentenced to a custodial sentence of 27 years with an extension period of 8 years.
Violent disorder arising out of an attack on an asylum seeker in Croydon
Two linked trials. Jonathan Polnay led Ben Holt in the first and Ben Holt led Dickon Reid in the second. A total of 14 defendants were charged with violent disorder arising out of an attack on an asylum seeker in Croydon. The case attracted international media attention. Instructed to SCU at CPS London.
Fraud of the Grenfell Tower victim fund
Ben Holt prosecuted the Finance Manager of the Grenfell Finance Team. She was employed by the RBK&C to assist in providing financial assistance to victims of the Grenfell Tower disaster. However, she stole £62,062 from prepaid credit cards that were allocated to survivors of the fire. During the course of the investigation into that allegation, it transpired that the defendant had defrauded her previous employer, the NHS. Defendant received a custodial sentence of 5-and-a-half years. Instructed by SCU, London.
Acid Attack
Ben Holt was instructed by the Prosecution for the trial of an ‘acid attack’ case. The victim was lured to a park in Isleworth by the defendant. A substance was thrown at him by another, unidentified, male. Victim lost his eye as a result of the attack. He gave evidence with the assistance of an intermediary. Defendant was convicted and sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment.
Blackmail and misconduct in a public office
Ben Holt was instructed to defend a Detective Constable charged with blackmail and misconduct in a public office. S had used the PNC to find out personal details of an individual who was using the services of a prostitute. He then blackmailed him. Pleaded guilty. Sentence referred to the CoA by the A-G as being unduly lenient. Instructed by Slater & Gordon.
News reports:
Attempted Murder
Ben Holt was Prosecution counsel at this trial of attempted murder. The defendant had run over an acquaintance with whom he was having a disagreement. Convicted of section 18 and sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment.
Conspiracy to steal motor vehicles
Ben Holt acted for the Crown, Daniels was charged with two others with conspiracy to steal motor vehicles. He worked for a BMW dealership and was convicted of stealing car keys and customer’s personal details before passing them on to other conspirators who would steal the cars that had been sold from his place of work. His co-defendants pleaded Guilty at PTPH; with one of them giving evidence for the Crown against Daniels. On conviction, Daniels was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment.
News reports:
13 handed Violent Disorder following illegal 'rave'
Catherine Pattison led Ben Holt in the Prosecution of 13 defendants for violent disorder that arose out of an illegal rave organised to take place on the night of Hallowe’en 2015 by a group called ‘Scumtek’. The violence was described as the worst in London since the riots of 2011 and resulted in the largest deployment of Police Officers since that time.
News reports here:
£2m 'Rare Earth Metal' Fraud
Jonathan Polnay led Ben Holt in this “boiler room” rare earth metals fraud. Both Defendants were convicted after trial of selling worthless Rare Earth Metals as part of an investment. The total value of the scam was £1.9m. Both defendants were convicted and sentenced to a total of 11 years’ imprisonment. Instructed by CPS Headquarters Central Fraud Group.
Fraud
Catherine Farrelly led Ben Holt for the Crown. Defendants were charged with arranging co-defendants to take driving test on behalf of other people. NCA investigation, instructed by the Organised Crime Group at the CPS.
Standing Order Fraud
Jonathan Polnay led Ben Holt for the Crown in a nine-handed standing order fraud that was set up and orchestrated by an inside man working with Nationwide bank. Case involved a considerable amount of forensic and banking evidence. (Investigated by DCPCU, instructed by CPS SCU). Jury were unable to reach a verdict on defendant said to be “inside man”. Prosecuted re-trial alone and the defendant was convicted. Mail Online news report.
NHS fraud
Ben Holt represented the husband of an NHS employee, in a prosecution brought by NHS Protect. The wife was alleged to have stolen £300,000 from her employer whilst working for the NHS. The husband was said to have acquired the criminal property. Significant quantity of evidence served (over 10,000 pages). Ben acted alone; other parties in the trial had two counsel. Hung jury. Evening Standard news report.
Armed Robbery
Ben Holt prosecution counsel in an armed robbery trial. Crown’s case relied solely on ANPR, cell site and other circumstantial evidence. Defendant convicted and imprisoned for life.
Card fraud by ATM skimming
Catherine Pattison led Ben Holt for the prosecution in two separate sets of proceedings relating to Romanian nationals who were charged with card fraud by ATM “skimming”. This was sophisticated organised crime group who were making equipment to capture individuals’ bank account details when they inserted their cards into an ATM. A total of 13 defendants were charged with offences ranging from conspiracy to defraud, possessing articles for use in fraud and transferring criminal property. (Investigated by DCPCU, instructed by CPS SCU). Mirror Online news report.
Conspiracy to supply class A drugs
Gordon Carse led Ben Holt for the defence in this multi-handed Class A conspiracy trial. The defendant was alleged to have been part of a conspiracy to supply over £600,000 of cocaine in and around the Portsmouth area. The defendant’s involvement and role were underpinned by cocaine found in his possession, call data and text messages. The defendant was acquitted. Sentences totalling 54 years imprisonment were handed down.
Firearms and drugs
Ben Holt represented a defendant charged with possession of firearm with intent to endanger life and drug supply offences. Convicted of the drug matters and simple possession of the gun. Sentenced to an eight-year term of imprisonment.
Kidnap trial
Catherine Pattison led Ben Holt for the prosecution in this 5-handed kidnap trial. This case involved counsel reviewing a considerable amount of unused material. This included downloads from over 40 mobile telephones.There were numerous issues relating to sensitive disclosure. The case against the defendants was solely reliant on cell-site and tracker evidence. One defendant was convicted and received a prison sentence of 12 years. Instructed to draft respondent’s notice to appeal. Leave refused; renewed in front of the full Court and refused. (Investigated by Kidnap & Special Investigation Unit of the Met, instructed by CPS SCU).
Chambers of Sarah Forshaw KC &
Mark Heywood KC
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