Silk: 2012
Peter Wilcock’s practice encompasses criminal defence and appeals as well as inquests, regulatory and crime-related civil proceedings. He has a particular interest in psychiatric issues and has sat as a Tribunal Judge in the MHRT for 19 years.
CRIMINAL DEFENCE
Peter’s criminal work has encompassed the full range of serious offences from fraud, to terrorism, organised crime and murder. He is recommended in both the Legal 500 and the Chambers UK Bar Guide for Crime in 2022.
Since taking silk in 2012 Peter has appeared in the Hillsborough Inquests (representing seven families), over 30 murder trials, several large (and ongoing) fraud trials, the Birmingham riots trial (during which it was alleged the defendants attempted to shoot down a police helicopter), two cases of rape and child cruelty and an allegation of preparing for acts of terrorism.
NOTABLE CASES
R v Ferrier (September 2022, Woolwich Crown Court) – Represented Defendant acquitted of murder
R v Ali (June/July 2022, Central Criminal Court) – Represented Defendant acquitted of murder during a drug deal which went wrong.
R v X (March to June 2022, Newcastle Crown Court) – Represented 15 year old accused along with 9 others of murder at a local fair. The case was reported nationally.
R v W – (February 2022, Basildon Crown Court) – Represented “Bouncer” acquitted of manslaughter whilst working at a club.
R v Leighton (October/December 2021, Central Criminal Court) – Represented Defendant accused, along with her son, of murder in the course of a postcode gang dispute. Proceedings are ongoing.
R v Z (August/October 2021, Central Criminal Court) – Represented 17-year-old Defendant accused of murder, along with 4 others, in the course of “tit for tat” attacks. Proceedings are ongoing.
R v Y (July/August 2021, Central Criminal Court) – Represented 17-year-old Defendant accused of murder, along with 3 others, of a “random” postcode attack in which a member of the public was stabbed to death.
R v X (June 2021, Harrow Crown Court) – Represented 16-year-old Defendant accused of murder in the course of drug dealing.
R v Spencer (April/May 2021, Central Criminal Court) – Represented Defendant acquitted of murder. Prosecution case was that he was part of team responsible for the shooting of an innocent member of the public mistakenly targeted in the course of gang feud.
R v Harris (March/April 2021, Basildon Crown Court) – Represented Defendant acquitted of murder during the course of a bungled burglary of a cannabis factory.
R v Kudi (March 2021, Lewes Crown Court) – Represented Defendant who pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her 20-month-old child by abandoning her for 6 days to celebrate her 18th birthday.
R v Francesco D’Agastino (September/October 2020, Brighton Crown Court) – Represented Defendant accused of murdering his drug dealer having previously sent a text to a friend stating: “Tonight I will commit a murder.”
R v Vishal Thapar (January/February 2020, Leeds Crown Court) – A three-handed cut-throat case, in which the Defendants were all charged with attempted murder x 4, arson with intent to endanger life and reckless arson. D was prepared to plead guilty to reckless arson at the outset, as he was caught on CCTV setting light to a house in which a family were sleeping. However, the Crown would not accept such a plea. After a 6 week trial, he was acquitted of attempted murder and arson with intent and convicted of reckless arson only.
R v NK (November/December 2019, Bristol Crown Court) – Represented Defendant acquitted of “County Lines” dispute murder.
R v Choudhry (October 2019, Birmingham Crown Court) – Represented Defendant accused of “family feud” murder.
R v Khan (June to September 2019, Southwark Crown Court) – Represented Defendant in retrial of UK’s largest immigration fraud and attempting to cheat HMRC of payroll tax in the region of £16.6 million.
R v X (May 2019, Exeter Crown Court) – Represented Defendant accused of murder.
R v Welsh (April 2019, Central Criminal Court) – Represented Defendant accused of murdering her husband.
R v M (January 2019, Northampton Crown Court) – Represented Defendant acquitted of rape.
R v M (November to December 2018, Central Criminal Court) – Represented Defendant accused of murder involving the use of knives and a car to run the deceased down.
R v Khan (March to November 2018, Southwark Crown Court) – Represented Defendant in multi-handed trial of UK’s largest immigration fraud and attempting to cheat HMRC of payroll tax in the region of £16.6 million. All other defendants convicted. Jury could not agree on K.
R v A (January 2018) – Represented Defendant in well-publicised prosecution for tax cheat.
R v Abeka-Soares (November- December 2017, Central Criminal Court) – Represented Defendant accused of knife murder.
R v Blackwell (September-October 2017, Blackfriars Crown Court) – Represented defendant acquitted of alleged conspiracy to murder in which victim was shot on his driveway.
R v Mould (July- August 2017, Newcastle Crown Court) – Represented defendant accused of murder.
R v Morrison (July 2017, Oxford Crown Court) – Represented defendant acquitted of murder, the jury having been told of his conviction for attempting to murder the deceased who had consequently been in a coma for 10 years.
R v Laurent (June 2017, Central Criminal Court) – Represented defendant acquitted of murder.
R v H (2) (March to May 2017, Snaresbrook Crown Court) – Represented defendant acquitted of large-scale immigration fraud.
R v Carpenter (March 2017, Central Criminal Court) – Represented defendant acquitted of murder.
R v Halliday-Fox (October 2016, Nottingham Crown Court) – Represented Defendant accused of murder outside nightclub.
R v H (1) (January – February 2017 Snaresbrook Crown Court) – Represented Defendant acquitted of large-scale immigration fraud.
R v Pike (September 2016, Cardiff Crown Court) – Represented Defendant accused of murder.
R v Gomez (July 2016, Central Criminal Court) – Represented Defendant acquitted of murder.
R v Rahman (July 2016, Central Criminal Court) – Represented Defendant accused of murdering a business rival in 1997 having been extradited to the UK from USA.
R v Odunyemi (June 2016, Central Criminal Court) – Represented Defendant acquitted of murder outside nightclub in Central London.
R v H (May 2016, Snaresbrook Crown Court) – Represented Defendant in large-scale immigration fraud proceedings.
R v Olisa (February 2016, Central Criminal Court) – Represented Defendant acquitted of murdering alleged drug dealer.
R v Willis (November 2015, Hove Crown Court) – Represented Defendant in conspiracy to murder involving a shooting.
R v Scott-Wasey (September 2015, Central Criminal Court) – Murder raising defence of diminished responsibility.
R v Bruzas (March 2015, Central Criminal Court) – Double murder of husband and wife in their own bedroom after house was broken into.
R v X (July 2013, Woolwich Crown Court) – Represented foster carer acquitted of abusing children in her care.
R v Marius (February 2013- June 2013, Central Criminal Court) – Represented defendant acquitted of murder.
R v Kearns (May 2013- June 2013, Plymouth Crown Court) – Represented defendant convicted of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
R v Mahmood (April 2013, Central Criminal Court) – Represented defendant who pleaded guilty to preparing for an acts of terrorism.
R v D (December 2012, Reading Crown Court) – Represented mother acquitted of causing life-changing injuries to her six-month-old child.
R v X (October 2012, Woolwich Crown Court) – Represented defendant acquitted of allegation of historic child rape.
R v Laing (2012 Birmingham Crown Court) – Represented defendant accused of planning and participating in attempt to lure and attack police officers during the 2011 Birmingham riots during which shots were fired at a police helicopter.
Further significant cases include:
R v Gaskell (2011)
Represented acquitted defendant accused of conspiracy to rig tender for supply of over £1 million of copper cable to Thameslink project.
R v Malik (2011)
Represented defendant accused of soliciting to murder by encouraging undercover police officer to fight coalition forces in Afghanistan.
R v Lee (2011)
Represented defendant, as leading junior, accused of being part of gangland “hit squad” attempting to murder member of rival gang.
R v Arafat Waheed Khan (2010)
Represented defendant convicted of involvement in plot to blow up transatlantic airliners.
CRIMINAL APPEALS
Peter specialises in appeals against conviction/sentence and applications to both the Criminal Cases Review Commission. He has advised in around a dozen successful applications to the CCRC and conducted a number of high-profile criminal appeals including the cases of Sam Hallam, Victor Nealon, Wang Yam and Deborah Winzar. As a junior, Peter appeared in many well-publicised successful appeals including Lorraine Harris, Suzanne Holdsworth and Ian Gay.
NOTABLE CASES
R v Lalchan (April 2022)
Represented appellant in specially convened 5-judge court dealing with the effect of the prosecution failing to obtain the consent of the Attorney-General under s27(1) Public Order Act 1986. The case has been reported at (2022) 2 CR App R 12.
R v Deborah Winzar (November 2020)
Represented appellant in a high-profile appeal against conviction for murdering her paraplegic husband in 2000 by allegedly injecting him with insulin without his knowledge. The case involved detailed consideration of detailed medical evidence including evidence from specialists in spinal cord injury, chemical pathology, and endocrinology and has been reported in the national media and at (2021) 1 Cr App R 16.
R v Wang Yam (July 2017)
Represented appellant in a high-profile appeal against conviction for murder in controversial “secret” trial. This case was reported in Newsnight and the Guardian and is the subject of a book “Blood on the Page: A Murder, a Secret Trial, a Search for the Truth.”
R v A (October 2016)
Represented appellant in successful appeal against conviction for sexual offences.
R v Nealon (2014 EWCA Crim 574)
Represented appellant in successful appeal – based on fresh DNA evidence – against his conviction for attempted rape.
R v Laing (2014) 2 Cr App R 27
Appeal against convictions arising out of the Birmingham riots based on the prosecution use of videos to establish gang membership.
R v Thompson (2013 EWCA Crim 1746)
Represented appellant in against conviction for murder, based on trial judge’s failure to leave the partial defence of provocation.
R v Malik (2013) EWCA Crim 1649)
Represented appellant in appeal against conviction for soliciting to murder, based on interplay between conduct of co-accused’s case and propriety of resulting summing-up.
R v Hallam (2012)
Represented appellant in his successful appeal against conviction for murder, following a CCRC referral.
R v Traynor (2012)
Represented appellant in his appeal against conviction for murdering his wife, following a CCRC referral.
Further significant cases include:
R v Cort (2011) EWCA Crim 1597
Represented solicitor in his appeal against his conviction for murdering his professional partner.
R v Lane (2011) 2011 EWCA Crim 2745)
Represented appellants, following referral by CCRC, in their appeal against conviction for blackmail.
R v Bailey (2011) EWCA Crim 1124
Represented appellant in appeal against minimum term imposed in relation to his conviction for murder.
R v Mackinnon (2011)
Represented appellant in appeal against sentence of imprisonment for public protection (IPP).
R v Arafat Khan (2011) EWCA Crim 1260
Represented appellant in appeal against conviction for murder arising out of “airlines” case.
R v Francis No 2 (2011) EWCA Crim 375
Represented appellant in appeal (following CCRC referral) against convictions for drug offences.
R v M (2010)
Represented appellant in successful appeal against conviction for rape. Appeal based on fresh evidence resulting from application to the CCRC.
INQUESTS AND INQUIRIES
Peter represented seven families at the Hillsborough Inquests. Following the inquest’s successful conclusion, he has been instructed to advise in a number of ongoing inquests and civil actions against the police. He has a developing regulatory practice having recently acted in proceedings before the GMC and Traffic Commissioners.
NOTABLE CASES
Richard Davies (2016)
Represented parents of man shot by the police after armed stand-off.
Hillsborough (2013 – 2016)
Peter represented seven families during the Hillsborough Inquests, in which the 96 people who died were found to have been unlawfully killed. His questioning at the inquest received widespread publicity. He led the families’ questioning extensively on the topics of stadium safety, police failings in controlling the build-up of supporters and police attempts to cover-up the disaster.
This included questioning many of the senior officers involved in the disaster, including some of the match commanders (BBC 2 October 2014), officers involved in the immediate police PR response to the disaster ( Daily Mirror 20 April 2015), Sir Norman Bettison, former Chief Constable of Merseyside police (BBC 5 May 2015), junior police officers (Guardian 18 September 2014, ITV 22 September 2014) and stadium engineers ( BBC 4 June 2014).
Wells (2010)
Coroner’s inquest into death of patient detained under Mental Health Acts who was able to hang himself despite nominally being on five-minute observations. The jury returned a narrative verdict critical of the detaining authority.
Mola (2009)
Coroner’s inquest into the death of a 23-year-old prisoner, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia in his teens, who died of smoke inhalation after setting fire to cardboard furniture in his cell. The jury verdict was critical of decision by prison staff to allow him access to lighting materials given his previous history of starting fires both during previous prison sentences and outside. The inquest also covered prison service policy in relation to use of cardboard furniture and inaction in relation to implementation of cell rescue equipment.
Fearon (2006)
Coroner’s inquest into shootings at Turnmills nightclub in April 2003 raising issues of police response to information they had received in advance of the shootings. Jury found that that information was not “communicated effectively between the relevant parties”, and that better communication might “have led to a more proactive action plan”.
FINANCIAL CRIME AND CONFISCATION
Since taking silk in 2012 Peter has appeared in several large-scale fraud trials.
He is presently instructed in proceedings which have been ongoing since February 2018. As a junior, he also appeared in a number of high-value fraud trials.
NOTABLE CASES
R v Gaskell (2011)
Represented acquitted defendant accused of conspiracy to rig tender for supply of over £1 million of copper cable to Thameslink project.
R v H (1) (January – February 2017 Snaresbrook Crown Court) Represented Defendant acquitted of large-scale immigration fraud
R v H (2) (March to May 2017, Snaresbrook Crown Court) Represented defendant acquitted of large-scale immigration fraud.
BACKGROUND
Peter has also been called to the Bar in Northern Ireland. He studied Law at the LSE where, following the completion of his degree, he was the general secretary of the Student Union before joining Tooks Chambers where he practised for 24 years before joining Garden Court in 2013.
Since 2003, Peter has been a part-time tribunal judge on the Mental Health Review Tribunal. He was appointed as an appraiser for Tribunals Service (Mental Health) in October 2009 and is on the Advisory Group of the Centre for Criminal Appeals.
Peter has provided Legal Advice in relation to Courtroom scenes for the BBC series Silent Witness and Rillington Place.
PUBLICATIONS
Member of 2010 Law Commission working party on Unfitness to plead – consultation paper No 197. ‘A timely reminder 158’, New Law Journal 466 2008
‘Fresh Evidence in Criminal Appeals – Pendleton revisited’, Archbold News, December 2006
Article on the defence of provocation, Solicitors Journal, May 2006
Criminal Justice Act 2003, New Law Journal, 2004
‘Fresh Evidence in the Court of Appeal; Pendleton – a Case Note’, New Law Journal, 2002 ‘Fitness to Plead Procedure: An adequate Protection?, New Law Journal’ 439
Crime & Disorder Act, LAG January, 1999
EDUCATION
LLB (LSE)
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
Criminal Bar Association (CBA)
Society of Labour Lawyers
Criminal Appeal Lawyers Association (CALA) Inquest