Michael Peters

Crime

Michael prosecutes and defends in all matters of serious and organised crime but is particularly known for his strong defence practice.

Michael has also developed a road traffic practice and places particular emphasis on exceptional hardship arguments under the totting up provisions and arguments to exclude evidence/special reasons arguments in relation to drink driving.

The following has been taken from Google reviews and Trust Pilot:

“I would also like to say a big thank you to Mr Peters my barrister for all his help in getting me a great outcome so I can finally move on with my life. Many thanks and eternal gratitude.” Acquitted Defendant, Central Criminal Court 2016

“I would like to thank Michael Peters for being supportive and professional from the beginning to the end of my case. He fought hard to prove my innocence and we won.” Acquitted Defendant, Central Criminal Court 2016.

“Took on appeal against conviction relating to assault against a security guard and resist arrest. Very understated and undemonstrative but persistent. Neither my witnesses nor myself had to enter the witness box and the case was won by half time which under the circumstances was a fine outcome. Gave me the impression that he firmly believed in me and definitely acted in my best interest as shown by the outcome. Many, many thanks.” Successful appellant, Brighton Crown Court 2017

“I was on a robbery case at Southwark Crown Court and I must say my barrister Michael Peters had done a very good job proving my innocence. Highly recommended.” Acquitted defendant, Southwark Crown Court 2018

“Michael is a fearless developing advocate who over the last few years has achieved significant success in dealing with matters of gravity well beyond his year of call.” Instructing defence solicitor 2018

Cases

Serious violence:

• R v C  (2019, Basildon Crown Court) – Armed Robbery. Trial counsel in a case involving a defendant alleged to have randomly chased a member of the public in a motor vehicle in the early hours of the morning attempting to take their BMW armed with an axe.
• R v M (2018, Wood Green Crown Court) – Section 18 GBH 2018. Prosecution counsel in a case involving a defendant indicted for an offence of stabbing another in the throat following a verbal argument at a party whilst in drink.
• R v P (2018, Croydon Crown Court) – False imprisonment. Trial counsel in a case involving a defendant who is alleged to have detained his girlfriend for a number of hours in a top floor flat in south London. The defendant was also alleged to have made a confession to the police in interview in the absence of an appropriate adult and solicitor. The defendant was said to suffer from paranoid schizophrenia and was not taking medication at the time of the incident. A successful argument was advanced to exclude the entirety of the defendant’s interview pursuant to section 78(1) PACE 1984. Acquitted.
• R v A (2018, Southwark Crown Court) – Robbery. Trial counsel in a case involving a defendant alleged to have participated in a gang robbery at the British Summertime Ball in Hyde Park Central London. The case involved complicated issues of joint enterprise in line with the authority of R v Jogee [2016] UKSC 6. Acquitted
• R v G  (2018, Guildford Crown Court) – Attempt section 18 GBH, violent disorder. Trial counsel in a case where the defendant was involved in a large scale disorder at Epsom races described by Surrey Police as “the worst disorder in memory.” Defendant indicted for throwing a glass bottle directly at a police officer caught on CCTV and body worn footage. Suspended sentence order received.
• R v M (2018, Inner London Crown Court) – Section 20 GBH. Counsel in a case where the defendant was accused of stabbing another with a pair of scissors in front of onlookers at a bingo hall in Elephant and Castle. The incident was captured on CCTV.
• R v C (2017, Croydon Crown Court) – Section 18 GBH. Counsel in a case where the defendant was accused of stabbing another with a machete during a dispute between rival gangs in Croydon.
• R v B (2017, Croydon Crown Court) – Section 20 GBH. Trial counsel in a case where the defendant was accused of shoplifting and thereafter stabbing a security guard who gave pursuit with a box cutter knife. Criminal Behaviour Order resisted.
• R v A (Inner London Crown Court, 2017) – Threatening to take revenge, threats with a bladed article.  Trial counsel in a case where the defendant was accused of embarking in a course of conduct by repeatedly waiting outside a bookmakers and threatening staff with a knife late at night after heavy gambling losses.
• R v M (2017, Croydon Crown Court) – Section 18 GBH. Trial counsel in a case where the defendant was accused of kicking another in the head whilst he was tying his shoe laces after a late tackle in a game of five a side football. The complainant sustained a fractured skull.
• R v S (2017, Kingston Crown Court) – Aggravated burglary, Section 18 GBH. Counsel in a case where the defendant was accused of hitting another with a broken bottle before forcing entry to a residence and holding a family hostage in a bathroom.
• R v S (2016, Guildford Crown Court) – Section 20 GBH. Counsel in a case where the defendant was accused of assaulting another in a group attack in a pub and kicking another in the head occasioning grievous bodily harm. The incident was captured on CCTV.
• R v R (2016, Central Criminal Court) – Section 20 GBH. Trial counsel in a case where the defendant was accused of punching another causing life threatening injuries which resulted in medical practitioners having to put the complainant into an induced coma. The incident involved a number of off duty police officers who became embroiled in the incident whilst in drink. Acquitted.
• R v B (2016, Croydon Crown Court)– Armed robbery. Trial counsel in a case where the defendant was accused of a joint enterprise robbery and stabbing of a seventy year old male as he washed his Mercedes car on his drive in Croydon. The incident was captured on CCTV. First on the indictment. Jury discharged following a successful application in relation to the admissibility of a previous custody record photograph.

Serious damage:

• R v S (2018, Wood Green Crown Court) – Arson with intent to endanger life. Prosecution counsel in a case where a defendant allegedly set fire to a piece of paper in a revenge attack and put it through a letter box of a property occupied by residents including children.
• R v S (2018, Croydon Crown Court) – Criminal damage being reckless as to whether life endangered. Trial counsel in a case where the defendant was involved in a nine hour roof top siege with riot police. Insanity defence raised. Acquitted.

Firearms:

• R v L and others (2017, Croydon Crown Court) – Possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life/ conspiracy to supply a firearm. Trial counsel in a multi handed case where the defendant was accused of supplying a firearm and ammunition in south London. First on the indictment. Acquitted. All three co – defendants convicted receiving sentences ranging from 14 to 8 years imprisonment.
• R v W and others (2015, Central Criminal Court) – Carjacking with a firearm. Counsel in a multi handed case where the defendant was accused of a gun point robbery and carjacking in south London.

Drugs:

• R v E and G (2019, Chelmsford Crown Court) – Possession with intent to supply a class A controlled drug. Prosecution counsel in a case involving defendant’s indicted for offences of possession with intent to supply Cocaine and MDMA following a stop and search of a motor vehicle in Essex.
• R v M Lewes (2018, Crown Court) – Drug Importation.  Prosecution counsel in a case involving a defendant who allegedly imported MDMA from Amsterdam.
• R v C (2018, Woolwich Crown Court) – Conspiracy to supply a class A controlled drug. Trial counsel in a multi handed case involving a number of defendants conspiring to supply a large amount of Crack Cocaine and Heroin in South London. First on the indictment.
• R v M (2018, Inner London Crown Court) – Possession with intent to supply a class A controlled drug. Trial counsel in a case involving the supply of Crack Cocaine and Heroin in a park in Brixton
• R v C (2018, Inner London Crown Court) – Possession with intent to supply a class A controlled drug. Counsel in a case where the defendant became involved in a high speed pursuit with police on a scooter in south London. Defendant subsequently crashed scooter and was tasered by Police. Upon searching the defendant a large amount of crack cocaine and heroin was recovered in addition to a machete and a balaclava.
• R v R (2017, Oxford Crown Court) – Possession with intent to supply a class A controlled drug. Trial counsel in a ‘county lines’ drug dealing case. Police searched a property in Oxford which was suspected of being occupied by gangs in London ‘cuckooing’ in order to supply drugs in the local area. A large amount of crack cocaine and heroin recovered.
• R v G (2017, Warwick Crown Court) – Possession with intent to supply a class A controlled drug. Counsel in a ‘county lines’ drug dealing case. Police searched a property in Warwick where the defendant was found with another in possession of a large amount of crack cocaine and heroin.
• R v T (2016, Croydon Crown Court) – Possession with intent to supply a class A controlled drug. Counsel in a case where the defendant was a mother with a new born baby found in possession of a large amount of crack cocaine and heroin in her house in south London. Suspended sentence order received.
• R v G (2016, Central Criminal Court) – Possession with intent to supply a class A controlled drug. Trial counsel in a case involving a police stop and recovery of a large quantity of cocaine in the centre console of a motor vehicle in south London.

Fraud:

• R v D (2016, Central Criminal Court) – Conspiracy to defraud. Trial counsel in a case where the defendant was a banker accused of conspiring to defraud a TV presenter of £120,000.  Acquitted.
• R v S (2015, Harrow Crown Court) – Dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances. Trial counsel in a case involving a student in part-time education claiming ESA and student finance.

Sexual offences:

• R v M (2019, Wood Green Crown Court) – Indecent Images. Prosecution counsel in a case involving a defendant indicted for an offence of making indecent images of children contrary to section1(1)(a) and (6) of the Protection of Children Act 1978. The defendant was found in possession of 874 images both moving and still 545 of which were category A images.
• R v L (2017, Lewes Crown Court)– Sexual assault. Counsel in a case where the defendant was accused of assaulting the complainant with a hammer and then sexually assaulting the complainant thereafter.
• R v B (2017, Kingston Crown Court) – Sexual Assault. Trial counsel in a case where the defendant was accused of sexually assaulting a security co-worker in a stadium tunnel in south London.

Fraud, regulatory and business crime

Michael advises and represents in cases involving fraud, regulatory and business crime having trained with a firm recognised as a top firm in this field by the Legal 500 and also ranked in UK Chambers and Partners.

Michael accepts instructions defending in cases brought by a range of authorities including the Serious Fraud Office, HM Revenue and Customs, the Environment Agency and the Health and Safety Executive.

Michael has particular experience of defending in Environment Agency prosecutions involving water pollution, waste transfer sites and permit cases. He also defends in health and safety prosecutions involving accidents in the work place and other breaches of regulations.

Civil actions/inquests

Michael advises and represents in a full range of matters involving the Police, HM Prison Service and the National Probation Service including tort claims and public law challenges by way of judicial review. Michael accepts instruction to advise and represent in the following areas:

• Wrongful arrest
• False imprisonment
• Assault/battery
• Malicious prosecution
• Misfeasance in public office
• Data protection

Michael also represents at inquests drawing upon his experience as a strong jury advocate before the criminal courts. Funding in this area of law is limited and in certain circumstances Michael will accept instruction to represent on a pro bono basis, particularly on behalf of family members in cases involving individuals that have died in a custodial environment or otherwise at the hands of the state.

Education

LL.B Law (Hons)

Appointments

CPS grade 2 advocates panel

North Eastern Circuit; South Eastern Circuit

Memberships

• Criminal Bar Association
• INQUEST
• Police Action Lawyers Group (PALG)