'An "excellent lawyer and a fine advocate" who is "devastatingly effective".' Chambers UK 2017
'Really first class, he communicates to a jury in a way that makes sense to them.' Chambers UK 2019
'An utterly charming advocate, who makes meticulous and complex cross-examination look easy.' Legal 500 2017
Overview
A rare talent held in the highest regard by solicitors, opponents and the judiciary; he is a class act who makes the complex seem effortless.
Corporate & Financial Crime
Crispin crafted the first deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) in the UK on behalf of the SFO. He has since been involved in the negotiations of various other DPAs for both the prosecution and the defence. Crispin is regularly instructed for both for the defence and the prosecution, individuals and corporates in various high profile financial crime cases arising from allegations of fraud, money laundering, bribery and corruption. He is instructed from investigation through to appeal for both criminal and regulatory proceedings. He is currently instructed to provide criminal strategic advice to a financial regulator.
Crime
An extremely talented criminal barrister who has experience of the full range of heavyweight crime.
Crispin was Senior Treasury Counsel at the Old Bailey for seven years, following five years as Junior Treasury Counsel. Since completing his appointment, Crispin has been instructed equally for both the prosecution and the defence as favoured counsel for serious crime. Recent defence briefs include representing Stuart Hall (and securing his acquittal on 16 counts of rape), the acquittal of a man charged with two murders and he is currently instructed in cases of terrorism and murder. Crispin has been instructed on some of the most complex and high profile murder cases of the day.
Reviews
Chambers UK 2022: Crime – Star Individual; Financial Crime - Band 2
Legal 500 2022: Business and Regulatory Crime (Including Global Investigations) - Tier 3, Crime – Tier 2
'Insanely clever and a master of his craft.' Chambers UK Crime (2022)
'Very fair, meticulous and incredibly well prepared. He is well liked by judges and is an excellent trial lawyer. A master of his craft.' Chambers UK Financial Crime (2022)
'An excellent criminal lawyer.' Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2022)
'One of the top five prosecutors in the country. His reputation at the Old Bailey is peerless. He is a prosecuting star at the top of his game. He is at the very top of the pile. He is tremendously bright and has a complete command of his brief, whilst giving the impression that he never breaks a sweat.' Legal 500 Crime (2021)
'A star individual who is enormously respected for his abilities as a prosecutor. He has a very fine brain and is charming in court. A real star performer who is highly intelligent, he is very effective and doesn't get flustered under pressure.' Chambers UK Crime (2021)
‘Very bright, has a lovely manner, and is very effective.’ ‘An absolute pleasure to be led by. He's a charming, personable chap, who's very invested in the case.’ Chambers UK Crime (2020)
‘A devastatingly effective advocate.’ Legal 500 Crime (2020)
‘A fantastic silk and a top-class prosecutor.’ ‘Really first class, he communicates to a jury in a way that makes sense to them.’ Chambers UK Crime (2019)
‘Time and time again, he proves himself to be at the very top of the pile.’ Legal 500 Crime (2018)
‘An absolutely fantastic silk who is a very effective, top-class prosecutor.’ Chambers UK Crime (2018)
‘An utterly charming advocate, who makes meticulous and complex cross-examination look easy.’ Legal 500 Crime (2017)
‘An "excellent lawyer and a fine advocate" who is "devastatingly effective".’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2017)
‘He's a brilliant, gifted advocate... an especially penetrating cross-examiner.’ Chambers UK Crime (2017)
‘An utterly charming advocate, who makes meticulous and complex cross-examination look easy.’ Legal 500 Crime (2017)
‘He is an outstanding advocate who is exceptionally talented and very clever.’ Chambers UK Crime (2016)
Appointments
- 2006: Senior Treasury Counsel
- 2001: Junior Treasury Counsel
Professional Memberships
- Criminal Bar Association
Education
- City University, ICSL: Scarman Scholar
- Bristol University, BA (Hons)
Privacy Notice
Recent Cases
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Five men have been jailed for their part in murdering a drug dealer, and dismembering the body of another man.Emeka Dawuda-Wodu, 19, Janayo Lucima, 19, Zimele Dube, 33, Simon Emmons, 40, and Marc Harding, 45, were jailed at the Old Bailey on Tuesday 17th ...
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The Serious Fraud Office has reached a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with Airline Services Limited (ASL).The DPA was given final approval by Mrs Justice May at a public hearing at Southwark Crown Court, sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice, today...
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A couple are found guilty of fatally poisoning an Irish dancer using a drug known as 'Devil’s Breath' as part of a plot to steal money from men they met on Grindr.The jury returned a majority verdict on all counts for both defendants on Friday 23rd ...
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The SFO received approval in principle for the DPA with G4S Care and Justice Services (UK) Ltd on Tuesday 14th July.Crispin Aylett has been instructed by the SFO to lead the investigation and subsequent DPA negotiations. The SFO has received approval in p...
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Crispin Aylett QC prosecuted four defendants charged with murdering 17-year old Jodie Chesney in a park in Romford. The prosecution evidence relied upon text messages, cell-site evidence, CCTV footage, and the witness evidence of the vict
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Kasim Lewis pleaded guilty to murdering Catherine Burke at the Old Bailey on 15th July.Mr Lewis was already serving a 29-year sentence for killing barmaid Iuliana Tudos in a brutal attack carried out only weeks after he killed Ms Burke.HHJ Richard Marks Q...
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Phillip Fashakin and Juskiran Sidhu were convicted of the murder of a student, Hasim Ali, on 11 October 2018.HHJ Nigel Lickley QC sentenced the pair to a minimum of 30 years imprisonment for what he described as a “ruthless and brutal act”.Thi...
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Alstom is a multi-national conglomerate with its headquarters in Paris. It is engaged in the transport and power markets. This case involved a multi-phase prosecution of the corporate and individuals in relation to bribery allegations occurring in multipl...
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Crispin Aylett QC and Ben FitzGerald acted for Barclays PLC in the SFO investigation into allegations that the bank had given Qatar secret fees that helped it to survive without a UK government bailout in 2008. All charges were dismissed against the comp...
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Prosecution of a 24-year-old man after a young girl's body was found in a wardrobe.
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Crispin Aylett QC led the prosecution of Mr Brizzi for the murder of PC Semple.
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Crispin Aylett QC, prosecuted James Warnock, 56, following the murder of Yiannoulla Yianni, 17, in 1982.
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Crispin Aylett QC prosecuted Christopher Carroll, 20, for the murder of Darren Kelly, aged 42, wrongly accused of being a paedophile.
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Crispin Aylett QC prosecuted Dempsey Nibbs for the murder of his partner of 30 years, Judith Nibbs.
News
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The Serious Fraud Office has reached a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with Airline Services Limited (ASL).The DPA was given final approval by Mrs Justice May at a public hearing at Southwark Crown Court, sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice, today...
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The SFO has today received approval in principle to enter into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with G4S Care and Justice Services (UK) Ltd (G4S C&J), a wholly-owned subsidiary of G4S Plc. On Friday 17 July, the SFO will apply for final approval of ...
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Key suspect in Stephen Lawrence murder pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply cannabis.
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Crispin Aylett QC and Ben FitzGerald acted for Barclays plc and Barclays Bank plc.
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Crispin Aylett QC was instructed by Andy Malik, of DJMS Solicitors, on behalf of Christopher Lythgoe, the alleged leader of National Action, an organisation proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000. Mr Lythgoe was charged with encouraging Jack Renshaw to ...
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Crispin Aylett QC and Ben FitzGerald acted for Barclays PLC and Barclays Bank PLC, together with Richard Lissack QC of Fountain Court Chambers, on a successful application before Mr Justice Jay to dismiss all charges against the corporate defendants, in a...
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Congratulations to QEB Hollis Whiteman's Crispin Aylett who was awarded Crime Silk of the Year last night at the Chambers UK Annual Bar Awards dinner at the Park Lane Hilton.
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Details of the rankings and commentaries will be published in November 2017 in the Chambers UK Bar Directory 2018.
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QEB Hollis Whiteman member Crispin Aylett QC is featured today as The Times Lawyer of the Week. Crispin was in the news recently as he acted for the Serious Fraud Office in the UK’s first Deferred Prosecution Agreement under which ICBC Standard Bank...
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QEB Hollis Whiteman member Crispin Aylett QC opens the trial of Stefano Brizzi charged with the murder of PC Gordon Semple whom he met on dating app Grindr.
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Crispin Aylett QC of QEB Hollis Whiteman acted for the Serious Fraud Office today, 30 November, at the Royal Courts of Justice, in the first deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) case in the UK. Lord Justice Leveson’s judgment in the case, which ...
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Crispin and Jocelyn prosecuted the killers of professional gambler Mehmet Hassan.
Articles
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QEB Hollis Whiteman members Crispin Aylett QC (who represented the SFO in proceedings leading to the UK’s first Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with ICBC Standard Bank Plc) and Rachna Gokani (SFO Approved Counsel) comment on the consequences an...
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New tool to tackle corporate wrongdoing – life after the first DPA
Reproduced with kind permission of Lexis Nexis
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Reproduced with kind permission of Lexis Nexis
Corporate and Financial Crime
One of the country's leading criminal advocates, Crispin Aylett QC is in high demand in the corporate and financial field for his considerable intellect, mastery of complex cases and phenomenal advocacy skills.
Overview
Recognised by the best in the industry as a go-to silk who makes the complex seem effortless, Crispin has in recent years undertaken a number of prominent corporate crime cases. He crafted the first deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) in the UK on behalf of the SFO. He has since been involved in the negotiations of various other DPAs for both the prosecution and the defence. Crispin is regularly instructed for both for the defence and the prosecution, individuals and corporates in various high profile financial crime cases arising from allegations of fraud, money laundering, bribery and corruption. He is instructed from investigation through to appeal for both criminal and regulatory proceedings. He is currently instructed to provide criminal strategic advice to a financial regulator.
Experience
Crispin Aylett was the first barrister to negotiate a DPA on behalf of the SFO in Standard Bank PLC. The case concerned Standard Bank's alleged failure contrary to S7 of the Bribery Act 2010 to prevent bribery by its former sister company, Stanbic Bank Tanzania Ltd, through the actions of two senior executives. Crispin was integral to the negotiation of the agreement that involved Standard Bank (now ICMC Standard Bank Plc) paying US$25.2m (£15.12m) as a penalty and US$7m (£4.2m) in compensation, to the Government of Tanzania.
Since Crispin's initial involvement with the DPA process he has been involved in the negotiation of numerous such agreements, for both sides of the discussion. He was instructed as part of the SFO's DPA with Airline Services Limited. Beyond the DPA process his instruction for the prosecution, defence, individuals and corporates in matters concerning financial and corporate crime has been vast and varied. He is currently instructed in the SFO's investigation into suspected corruption in relation to the conduct of business in the Republic of Guinea by the Rio Tinto group, its employees and others associated with it.
Crispin has recently represented Barclays PLC, successfully bringing the dismissal of all charges concerning whether dealings between the corporate and a sovereign wealth fund involved bribery and corruption at the highest level. Crispin is instructed by the SFO in relation to the investigation of G4S and the subsequent negotiation of the DPA. He continues to represent the SFO in their case against the individuals. He is also currently instructed to provide criminal strategic advice to a financial regulator.
In January 2022, Crispin defended in an eight-week alleged international money-laundering conspiracy.
Notable Cases
Serious Fraud Office & G4S (2020)
Instructed by the SFO to lead the investigation and subsequent DPA negotiations with G4S.SFO - v - Barclays PLC
Acted for Barclays PLC in the SFO investigation into allegations that the bank had given Qatar secret fees that helped it to survive without a UK government bailout in 2008. All charges were dismissed against the company.Serious Fraud Office & Airline Services Limited
Acted for the SFO in the DPA with Airline Services Limited. Under the terms of the DPA, ASL accepted responsibility for three counts of failing to prevent bribery arising from the company’s use of an agent to win three contracts, together worth over £7.3m, to refit commercial airliners for Lufthansa.Serious Fraud Office & Rio Tinto
Instructed by the SFO into suspected corruption in relation to the conduct of business in the Republic of Guinea by the Rio Tinto group, its employees and others associated with it.Serious Fraud Office & Standard Bank PLC (2015)
Acted for the Serious Fraud Office in the first deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) case in the UK.Reviews
Chambers UK 2022: Financial Crime - Band 2
Legal 500 2022: Business and Regulatory Crime (Including Global Investigations) - Tier 3
'Very fair, meticulous and incredibly well prepared. He is well liked by judges and is an excellent trial lawyer. A master of his craft.' Chambers UK Financial Crime (2022)
'An excellent criminal lawyer.' Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2022)
'One of the top five prosecutors in the country. His reputation at the Old Bailey is peerless. He is a prosecuting star at the top of his game. He is at the very top of the pile. He is tremendously bright and has a complete command of his brief, whilst giving the impression that he never breaks a sweat.' Legal 500 Crime (2021)
'A star individual who is enormously respected for his abilities as a prosecutor. He has a very fine brain and is charming in court. A real star performer who is highly intelligent, he is very effective and doesn't get flustered under pressure.' Chambers UK Crime (2021)
‘Very bright, has a lovely manner, and is very effective.’ ‘An absolute pleasure to be led by. He's a charming, personable chap, who's very invested in the case.’ Chambers UK (2020)
‘A devastatingly effective advocate.’ Legal 500 (2020)
‘An absolutely fantastic silk.’ Chambers UK (2018)
‘Time and time again, he proves himself to be at the very top of the pile.’ Legal 500 (2018)
‘An "excellent lawyer and a fine advocate" who is "devastatingly effective".’ Chambers UK (2017)
‘An utterly charming advocate, who makes meticulous and complex cross-examination look easy.’ Legal 500 (2017)
‘He is an outstanding advocate who is exceptionally talented and very clever.’ Chambers UK (2016)
‘He is a real class act.’ Chambers UK (2015)
Recent Cases
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The Serious Fraud Office has reached a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with Airline Services Limited (ASL).The DPA was given final approval by Mrs Justice May at a public hearing at Southwark Crown Court, sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice, today...
-
The SFO received approval in principle for the DPA with G4S Care and Justice Services (UK) Ltd on Tuesday 14th July.Crispin Aylett has been instructed by the SFO to lead the investigation and subsequent DPA negotiations. The SFO has received approval in p...
-
Alstom is a multi-national conglomerate with its headquarters in Paris. It is engaged in the transport and power markets. This case involved a multi-phase prosecution of the corporate and individuals in relation to bribery allegations occurring in multipl...
-
Crispin Aylett QC and Ben FitzGerald acted for Barclays PLC in the SFO investigation into allegations that the bank had given Qatar secret fees that helped it to survive without a UK government bailout in 2008. All charges were dismissed against the comp...
News
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The Serious Fraud Office has reached a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with Airline Services Limited (ASL).The DPA was given final approval by Mrs Justice May at a public hearing at Southwark Crown Court, sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice, today...
-
The SFO has today received approval in principle to enter into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with G4S Care and Justice Services (UK) Ltd (G4S C&J), a wholly-owned subsidiary of G4S Plc. On Friday 17 July, the SFO will apply for final approval of ...
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Crispin Aylett QC and Ben FitzGerald acted for Barclays plc and Barclays Bank plc.
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Crispin Aylett QC and Ben FitzGerald acted for Barclays PLC and Barclays Bank PLC, together with Richard Lissack QC of Fountain Court Chambers, on a successful application before Mr Justice Jay to dismiss all charges against the corporate defendants, in a...
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Congratulations to QEB Hollis Whiteman's Crispin Aylett who was awarded Crime Silk of the Year last night at the Chambers UK Annual Bar Awards dinner at the Park Lane Hilton.
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QEB Hollis Whiteman member Crispin Aylett QC is featured today as The Times Lawyer of the Week. Crispin was in the news recently as he acted for the Serious Fraud Office in the UK’s first Deferred Prosecution Agreement under which ICBC Standard Bank...
-
Crispin Aylett QC of QEB Hollis Whiteman acted for the Serious Fraud Office today, 30 November, at the Royal Courts of Justice, in the first deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) case in the UK. Lord Justice Leveson’s judgment in the case, which ...
Articles
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QEB Hollis Whiteman members Crispin Aylett QC (who represented the SFO in proceedings leading to the UK’s first Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with ICBC Standard Bank Plc) and Rachna Gokani (SFO Approved Counsel) comment on the consequences an...
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Reproduced with kind permission of Lexis Nexis
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A star individual of the criminal bar with extensive experience of the full range of heavyweight crime.
Overview
Crispin was Senior Treasury Counsel at the Old Bailey for seven years, following five years as Junior Treasury Counsel. Since completing his appointment, Crispin has been instructed equally for both the prosecution and the defence as favoured counsel for serious crime. Recent defence briefs include representing Stuart Hall (and securing his acquittal on 16 counts of rape), the acquittal of a man charged with two murders and he is currently instructed in cases of terrorism and murder. He has been instructed on some of the most complex and high profile murder cases of the day.
Experience
Crispin has prosecuted some of the most notorious crimes of the last two decades, including: the murder of Sarah Payne; the so-called ‘Camden Ripper’; the murder of the Chohan family; R v Barrett (the murder of a cyclist in Richmond Park); the retrials of Sion Jenkins; R v Morgan & Vincent (members of the So-Solid Crew); R v Pickford & Barrett (the murder of a gay man on Clapham Common); R v Mir & Others (the murder of two brothers in Tooting); the murder of Jimmy Mizen; the murder of the French students (R v Sonnex & Farmer); the so-called ‘Bride in the Burkha’; R v Dighton (a man who killed his parents); R v Ross & St Aubyn (the murder of a man outside Wandsworth prison by a public schoolboy gangster); R v Jeffrey & Others (the execution of a doorman by a gang); R v McCluskie (the murder of the East Enders actress Gemma McCluskie by her brother); R v McSweeney (the murder of a man by his father, a retired fireman); R v Carroll (the murder of a man wrongly thought to have been a paedophile); R v Nibbs (a man who decapitated his wife); R v Warnock (an historic murder of an 18-year-old girl in 1982); R v Brizzi (the murder of PC Gordon Semple); he murder of Jodie Chesney (R v Ong-a-Kwie); R v Osei & Cristea (murder using a poison known as ‘The Devil’s Breath’).
In addition, Crispin has recently successfully prosecuted two police officers for misconduct, arising out of the death of Bijan Ebrahimi. Crispin was also involved in one of the prosecutions of Ali Dizaei.
Crispin’s defence practice has included the successful defence of the Director of Safety of Railtrack (the Hatfield disaster); the television presenter Stuart Hall on 16 counts of rape; a recent case involving a double murder; a man charged with murder after the victim was thrown from a vehicle; the acquittal of a man charged with encouraging the murder of a Labour MP; the acquittal of a medical consultant charged with assaulting his wife.
Notable Cases
R v Duffy & Others (2015)
Successful prosecution of police officers for misconduct arising out of the death of Bijan Ebrahimi.R v Bagnall & Others (2015)
Prosecution of Michael Bagnall and Andrew Bayne for the murder of Ben Purdy.R v Hall (2014)
Represented former broadcaster Stuart Hall who was acquitted of 15 counts of historic rape.R v McCluskie (2013)
Crispin Aylett QC successfully prosecuted Tony McCluskie for the murder of his sister and former Eastenders actor.Reviews
Chambers UK 2022: Crime – Star Individual
Legal 500 2022: Crime – Tier 2
'Insanely clever and a master of his craft.' Chambers UK Crime (2022)
'One of the top five prosecutors in the country. His reputation at the Old Bailey is peerless. He is a prosecuting star at the top of his game. He is at the very top of the pile. He is tremendously bright and has a complete command of his brief, whilst giving the impression that he never breaks a sweat.' Legal 500 Crime (2021)
'A star individual who is enormously respected for his abilities as a prosecutor. He has a very fine brain and is charming in court. A real star performer who is highly intelligent, he is very effective and doesn't get flustered under pressure.' Chambers UK Crime (2021)
‘Very bright, has a lovely manner, and is very effective.’ ‘An absolute pleasure to be led by. He's a charming, personable chap, who's very invested in the case.’ Chambers UK Crime (2020)
‘A devastatingly effective advocate.’ Legal 500 Crime (2020)
‘A fantastic silk and a top-class prosecutor.’ ‘Really first class, he communicates to a jury in a way that makes sense to them.’ Chambers UK Crime (2019)
‘Time and time again, he proves himself to be at the very top of the pile.’ Legal 500 Crime (2018)
‘An absolutely fantastic silk who is a very effective, top-class prosecutor.’ Chambers UK Crime (2018)
‘An utterly charming advocate, who makes meticulous and complex cross-examination look easy.’ Legal 500 Crime (2017)
‘He's a brilliant, gifted advocate... an especially penetrating cross-examiner.’ Chambers UK Crime (2017)
‘He is an outstanding advocate who is exceptionally talented and very clever.’ Chambers UK Crime (2016)
Recent Cases
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Five men have been jailed for their part in murdering a drug dealer, and dismembering the body of another man.Emeka Dawuda-Wodu, 19, Janayo Lucima, 19, Zimele Dube, 33, Simon Emmons, 40, and Marc Harding, 45, were jailed at the Old Bailey on Tuesday 17th ...
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A couple are found guilty of fatally poisoning an Irish dancer using a drug known as 'Devil’s Breath' as part of a plot to steal money from men they met on Grindr.The jury returned a majority verdict on all counts for both defendants on Friday 23rd ...
-
Crispin Aylett QC prosecuted four defendants charged with murdering 17-year old Jodie Chesney in a park in Romford. The prosecution evidence relied upon text messages, cell-site evidence, CCTV footage, and the witness evidence of the vict
-
Kasim Lewis pleaded guilty to murdering Catherine Burke at the Old Bailey on 15th July.Mr Lewis was already serving a 29-year sentence for killing barmaid Iuliana Tudos in a brutal attack carried out only weeks after he killed Ms Burke.HHJ Richard Marks Q...
-
Phillip Fashakin and Juskiran Sidhu were convicted of the murder of a student, Hasim Ali, on 11 October 2018.HHJ Nigel Lickley QC sentenced the pair to a minimum of 30 years imprisonment for what he described as a “ruthless and brutal act”.Thi...
-
Prosecution of a 24-year-old man after a young girl's body was found in a wardrobe.
-
Crispin Aylett QC led the prosecution of Mr Brizzi for the murder of PC Semple.
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Crispin Aylett QC, prosecuted James Warnock, 56, following the murder of Yiannoulla Yianni, 17, in 1982.
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Crispin Aylett QC prosecuted Christopher Carroll, 20, for the murder of Darren Kelly, aged 42, wrongly accused of being a paedophile.
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Crispin Aylett QC prosecuted Dempsey Nibbs for the murder of his partner of 30 years, Judith Nibbs.
News
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Key suspect in Stephen Lawrence murder pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply cannabis.
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Crispin Aylett QC was instructed by Andy Malik, of DJMS Solicitors, on behalf of Christopher Lythgoe, the alleged leader of National Action, an organisation proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000. Mr Lythgoe was charged with encouraging Jack Renshaw to ...
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Congratulations to QEB Hollis Whiteman's Crispin Aylett who was awarded Crime Silk of the Year last night at the Chambers UK Annual Bar Awards dinner at the Park Lane Hilton.
-
QEB Hollis Whiteman member Crispin Aylett QC opens the trial of Stefano Brizzi charged with the murder of PC Gordon Semple whom he met on dating app Grindr.
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Crispin and Jocelyn prosecuted the killers of professional gambler Mehmet Hassan.
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