The areas of work in which we have particular expertise, experience and excellence
The areas of work in which we have particular expertise, experience and excellence
Barristers
Call 1985
Andrew Taylor has been in continuous practice at the Bar for 35 years. For over 25 years, he has practised exclusively in Crime.
Prior to 2009, he was a Level 4 Prosecutor on the CPS Advocate Panel List, but since that time has only held defence briefs. He has led for the defence in sex cases, drugs cases and fraud cases. He has appeared in murder cases alone and has done VHCC cases for many years. Andrew is regularly instructed by the defence on a private basis.
Andrew is regularly instructed in serious sex cases, drugs cases and major fraud cases. In the “Cash for Crash” trials that were heard in South Wales, of the 89 Defendants who were sent to the Crown Court, Andrew represented 17 of them.
Andrew has wide experience before all tribunals where advocacy is at a premium, including disciplinary tribunals of the legal profession, University disciplinary proceedings, where has acted for both teaching staff and students, and numerous professional sports people. Having been involved in rugby union from a young age, Andrew has represented many international players in both disciplinary proceedings, and cases that have come before the courts.
Currently, Andrew is instructed in several large trials that have been brought by Trading Standards Departments of local authorities.
Andrew has also been instructed in historic miscarriages of justice cases, and successfully represented the family of Timothy john Evans (The 10, Rillington Place Murders) and Mahmood Mattan (The last man to judicially hang in Wales) Andrew has experience of compensation claims against the Home Office for wrongly convictions and wrongful hanging.
Andrew has appeared in most courts at most levels, including the Court of Appeal (Civil and Criminal Division) the High Court, the Crown Court and the County Court.
In addition to his court work, for over 25 years, Andrew has provided expert legal opinion and commentary to the BBC. He regularly appears on the Jeremy Vine show and other BBC programmes. He is also a regular contributor to LBC, Times Radio and several independent radio stations. During the recent action by the Criminal Bar, Andrew was one of the CBA spokespersons who dealt with the media, and did broadcasts in support of the legal profession and the preservation of Legal aid.
Andrew has also been instructed by newspapers and media outlets, to advise on, and defend in contempt proceedings.
He has appeared for both the defence in numerous forfeiture and confiscation matters since the introduction of the confiscation regime. e appeared in one of the largest money laundering cases to be brought in Wales, which had a huge international dimension, where the investigation had gone on for over 6 years. Andrew and his Junior succeeded in a Dismissing the counts, having successfully argued that the overseas evidence was tainted.
Appearing in one of the largest money laundering cases to be brought in Wales, (Operation Wolfram II) which had a huge international dimension, where the investigation had gone on for over 6 years. Andrew and his Junior succeeded in a Dismissing the counts, having successfully argued that the overseas evidence was tainted.
Double financing cases, where car traders sell vehicles with outstanding finance.
Local authority frauds involving senior officials, where bribes are involved.
Numerus “missing trader” VAT cases,
Representing a client in a case brought by the Department of Work and Pensions in Southwark Crown Court , involving work place assistance for the deaf. Andrew’s client was acquitted after many weeks of evidence.
Representing 17 Defendants in the “Cash for Crash” (Operation Dino) trials, where millions of pounds were defrauded from insurance companies.
Appearing for the defence in an immigration fraud.
“Operation Snowball” was a long money laundering and fraud trial that was tried in Harrow in 2019. Andrew’s client was the only Defendant acquitted in that case
“Operation Helix” was a long trial in Worcester Crown Court involving 9th Century artefacts of very high value, said to have been removed from a dig without the landowners’ authority. The Crown asserted that these artefacts were criminal property. Andrew’s client was the only one of the four Defendants not to lose his liberty, and the POCA application was successfully defeated.
Andrew has successfully obtained large awards for victims of historic wrongful convictions. In order to obtain compensation, high hurdles have to be crossed.
He has experience of how to mount such claims and has experience of reviewing evidence and public records.
The murder of a Defendant’s girlfriend and young baby, after the Defendant in an intoxicated state, suggested that the child was not his, and that his girlfriend had been having an affair with his best friend.
The murder of an HMRC official who was shot twice and point blank range in his own vehicle with a sawn off shotgun. The deceased was proved to be involved in cocaine supply, and his murder was involved in a drug debt. It was described by the trial judge as ‘akin to a gangland killing” The minimum recommended sentence was 35 years.
Defending a woman accused of murdering her boyfriend at home with a kitchen knife after he had threatened to assault her. Provocation and diminished responsibility at issue. The client was convicted on Manslaughter, and received a suspended sentence.
Andrew, without a leader, represented a prisoner, who had stabbed his cell mate to death, having first put a plastic bag over his head.
Defending successfully a man who had driven a HGV close to his partner’s former boyfriend. The wing mirror knocked the deceased to the ground, where his head hit the kerb and he later died. It was argued that he merely wanted to frighten the deceased, not cause him really serious harm.
Successfully defended a man in a two defendant trial where “cut throat” was in issue.
Successfully defended a man in a recent murder trial where an Albanian gang were trying to protect their crop and money from rival gangs. The Defendant succeeded in his dismissal argument.
Andrew represented the first Defendant on an indictment that contained counts of both murder, and a separate conspiracy to murder, where a gang from Glasgow came to South Wales to seek retribution. One person was killed and another targeted but survived with serious burns after his house was set alight while he was inside.
Obtained an acquittal in a four month long, multi handed murder case, where a Vietnamese gang had beaten to death one of their number who was accused of stealing a large cannabis crop.
He is currently instructed in a murder case where insanity and a potential medical defence might be put forward.
He appeared in one of the largest money laundering cases to be brought in Wales, which had a huge international dimension, where the investigation had gone on for over 6 years. Andrew and his Junior succeeded in a Dismissing the counts, having successfully argued that the overseas evidence was tainted. There were extensive investigations mounted by the CIA and other European agencies that linked up with the UK dimension. Monies were said to be held in the UK, Gibraltar, U S, Spain and Lithuania.
Andrew has been instructed in numerous “Operation Venetic” cases where Encro devices are used. He is instructed to appear on behalf of alleged OCG members in conspiracies that concern class and Class B drugs.
Andrew has also been instructed to defend in myriad “County Lines” cases, having recently dealt with such a case in Swindon, where drugs were being imported from the Netherlands.
In 2019, Andrew appeared in the Liverpool Crown court in “Operation Anvil” which involved a large OCG, and where apart from the drugs, firearms and explosives were recovered.
In 2018, R v Rasool and others, Birmingham Crown Court, Andrew appeared in a trial where two rival gangs had a street battle and one of the young men involved lost his life.
Andrew represented a Defendant in a case where an OCG wanted a “Drugs Mule” to bring cocaine back into London. A young woman agreed, and swallowed condoms full of cocaine before boarding her return flight. One of the condoms broke during her flight back, and by the time she had exited Heathrow Airport she was very ill. She died before she could reach a hospital. The investigation involved the UK, the West Indies and Columbia.
Andrew was a Leading Junior for a Defendant in “Operation Corolla”, a case involving a Yardie Gang who were recruiting others to supply Class A drugs in Bristol and South Wales.
Andrew has a wide experience of leading in rapes and serious sexual offence cases.
Cases of historic sexual abuse.
He also appeared in several of the “Operation Goldfinch” trials, which alleged that sexual abuse was perpetrated by members of staff at Care Homes throughout Wales. This was the biggest investigation the care system ever launched in Wales, and was ultimately criticised for the way that the police had “trawled for complainants” The case was an insight into how disclosure was mishandled, and how painstaking reviews of the unused material could be of enormous benefit.
Andrew has represented Headmasters and numerous members of the teaching profession who have been accused of sexual misconduct.
He has also represented members of the medical profession who have been accused of serious sexual misconduct.
He has a vast experience going back over 30 years, dealing and cross examining young and vulnerable witnesses, and defending in numerous cases in which the complainants have been children.
Andrew had defended in cases of false memory syndrome and other allegations that were made out of spite and malice.
He has defended in numerous section 18 cases and cases of attempted murder – including chokings, drownings, stabbings, shootings, vehivles used as weapons, and blunt force attacks.
He has appeared in a Munchausen’s by Proxy case, where a very young baby almost died.
He has defended in numerous prison riot cases, in both adult prisons and young Offenders Institutions.
Andrew has defended in very many firearms cases, tasers, and disguised weapon offences. He also has experience of poisoning cases.
His experience of robbery cases range from highly organised armed robberies by gangs of security vehicles and shops, to robberies of Post Offices and small business while the owners were present.
He has defended in false imprisonment, kidnap and child abduction cases.
Andrew has defended clients in a wide range of perverting justice cases, ranging from murder (where it was said Prosecution witnesses were being “warned off giving evidence”) to cases where Defendants have been said to have provided false alibis in murder investigations. He has also represented clients who have been said to have perverted justice in civil proceedings, and in a family case, where it was suspected that a person in a solicitor’s office had incited a client to present false information in an affidavit.
Andrew has represented many sports people in disciplinary proceedings, including challenges to drug testing and doping enquiries. For many years, he has represented rugby player for on field incidents both before Disciplinary Tribunals and in the courts.
He is often instructed to appear for respondents in disciplinary inquiries. He has been instructed to represent solicitors, doctors and nurses, and University teaching staff and students, before their respective professional disciplinary tribunals.
Andrew Taylor has accepted an invitation to join chambers. Andrew was called in 1986 and in addition to practising at 3TG, he retains tenancy at Apex Chambers in Cardiff.
Regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB)
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