Martin Taylor
Profile
An experienced leading junior who combines a forensic approach to case preparation alongside excellent client care. Martin has a wide-ranging practice in all areas of criminal law with particular expertise in complicated high-value fraud cases. His four main practice areas are as follows:
- Fraud and Financial Crime;
- Confiscation, Civil Recovery and Asset Forfeiture;
- Homicide and Corporate Manslaughter; and,
- Organised Crime.
He has acted in a number of serious criminal cases including large-scale Conspiracy to Supply Class A drugs, Arson, s.18 GBH (acid attacks), and Conspiracy to Commit Robbery (firearms).
Expertise
Martin is a leading defence practitioner in fraud. He is regularly instructed in high-value cases including ‘boiler room’ and MTIC frauds. He is known for his meticulous case preparation and client friendly approach.
R v C (Inner London CC) 2019/2020 – 5-week trial, fraud of counterfeit tickets of £20 million value
R v I (Southwark CC) 2020, 5-week trial of money laundering £1.6m, leading junior.
R v J (Southwark CC) 2020, plea to conspiracy to steal from Bonds St jewellers of £4m
Operation Cornflour R v W (Southwark CC, 2020): Junior alone in alleged large-scale sophisticated diamond fraud.
R v W (Southwark CC, 2019): Leading Junior in alleged ‘boiler room’ fraud involving the selling of investments in payday loan companies.
Other fraud cases include:
R v C (Kingston CC, 2019): Instructed in alleged money-laundering case involving the inducing an elderly complainant into selling their home for a fraction of its value.
R v B (Ipswich CC, 2019): Instructed in Conspiracy to Defraud relating to the selling of stolen electronic equipment to the value of nearly £1 million.
R v W (Bolton CC, 2019): Leading Junior in Conspiracy to Defraud involving the selling of counterfeit cigarettes to value of nearly £500k.
R v E (St Albans CC, 2019): Fraudulent misrepresentation case relating to sale of 1968 Ford Mustangs.
R v A (Inner London CC, 2018): Case concerned bank employees providing personal banking details of customers to co-conspirators.
R v G (Reading CC, 2018): Instructed in ‘cash for crash’ fraud in excess of £250k.
R v M (St Albans CC, 2018): Courier fraud targeting elderly vulnerable people with losses of approximately £500k.
R v B (Cardiff CC, 2018): Defendant, who worked as an accountant, accused of money laundering of £1.3million following the theft of £1.8million from the Bermudan government.
R v (Kingston CC, 2017): Instructed in MTIC fraud with an overall value of £5 million.
R v A (Southwark CC, 2017): Defendants were co-directors of a company which exploited government-funded apprenticeship scheme to substantiate claims of over £5 million.
R v J (Southwark CC, 2017): Conspiracy to Control Prostitution where gains were said to be in excess of £1 million.
R v H (Southwark CC, 2016): Two separate trials involving senior members of the Royal Household Staff. Trials alleged abuse of the tender system for building contracts and works at Buckingham Palace, St James Palace and Kensington Palace worth over £1 million.
R v S (Blackfriars CC, 2016): ‘Boiler room’ fraud involving allegations of sale of lists of potential investors.
Martin has particular familiarity with criminal confiscation legislation and has considerable experience in recovery proceedings. He regularly advises on restraint and insolvency proceedings prior to and during the criminal trial process, including prior to charge.
Martin is regularly instructed in cases which cover a wide spectrum of general crime including large-scale conspiracies to supply Class A drugs, robberies involving firearms, and serious violence. He is noted for his expertise in dealing with technology-based evidence such as mobile phone, cell-site and banking schedules.
R v C (Nottingham CC, 2020): Assisting offender in trial involving 7 handed murder allegation
R v D (Harrow CC, 2019): Instructed in case alleging Attempted Murder and Violent Disorder in two separate attacks on the same complainant.
Martin has specialised in organised crime cases on an international scale, including high-level money laundering, importation of drugs and multi-million pound frauds.
R v P (Lincoln CC, 2019): Conspiracy to Supply Class A drugs to the value of £8 million.
R v P (Nottingham CC, 2019): Conspiracy to Supply “legal highs”
R v K & ors (Nottingham CC, 2018): Conspiracy to Supply Class A
R v C (Isleworth CC, 2017): Historic sexual allegations
R v K & ors (Birmingham CC, 2016): Conspiracy to Commit Arson and Conspiracy to Commit GBH by way by acid attacks.
R v P & ors (Croydon CC, 2015): Conspiracy to Supply Class A drugs imported from St Lucia.
R v K (Manchester CC, 2015): Armed robberies of banks resulting in the theft of hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Appointments/Memberships
- The Criminal Bar Association