Alex Leach KC

“Alexander Leach KC is instructed in serious criminal matters such as murder, fraud and organised crime. He regularly acts for defendants in large, multi-handed cases as well as prosecuting.”  Crime – Chambers and Partners 2024

“Alexander is a step ahead of everybody. He’s just so good – so on it and so knowledgeable of the law.” – Crime – Chambers and Partners 2024

Recommended in Legal 500, 2024 – Crime (General and Fraud)

“He is an absolute stand-out performer.” – Chambers & Partners, 2023

“Alexander Leach KC is an excellent advocate. He is meticulous in his preparation and always provides a clear analysis of the issues to clients.” – Chambers & Partners, 2023

“Alex was one of the most highly regarded juniors on circuit and there is no doubt he will be one of the most highly regarded silks for many years to come.” – Legal 500, 2023

“He is calm, brilliant with clients, very thorough and always has the ear of the court.”

“He gets to grips with hugely complex content in a short amount of time. He commands the courtroom and his cross-examination is devastating.” – Chambers and Partners, 2022

“Absolutely brilliant on strategy, with a meticulous eye for detail.” – Legal 500, 2022

“He is very impressive advocate – thorough, forceful and clear. A strategic thinker.”

“He has a beautiful manner and is commanding in court.” – Chambers and Partners, 2021

“Intelligent, articulate and with a jury presence – when instructed he is able to advise the client in terms they understand.” – Legal 500, 2021

“Recent work includes multi-defendant drugs conspiracies.” – Legal 500, 2018

“A rising talent who is instructed in serious criminal matters such as murder, fraud and organised crime”.

“He has a court presence that few can match.” “He is very sharp-witted and an exceptional advocate.” – Chambers and Partners, 2018

Alex is a leading criminal practitioner in the North, engaged to defend and prosecute in some of the most high-profile criminal cases of recent years. At Crown Court level, Alex is a specialist in four principle areas:

1. Murder;
2. Serious Organised Crime;
3. Fraud;
4. Rape and Sexual Abuse

Alex is described by those who instruct him as a creative and intelligent strategist capable of influencing the outcome of a case from its very outset. He provides training to leading criminal solicitors on the value of pre-charge engagement and encourages a proactive and assertive approach from the moment an investigation begins.

In preparation for trial, Alex has a meticulous approach to detail and a tireless work ethic, often identifying weaknesses in a case that only emerge from close analysis of the evidence. Alex always places his client at the centre of the trial preparation process and has a real ability to create a successful working partnership in even the most challenging circumstances.

In Court, Alex deploys an expert approach to legal argument that often leads to the exclusion of pivotal sections of a prosecution case. He commands the respect of the Judiciary for his knowledgeable, focused and well-judged approach.

Above all, Alex is instructed as a trial advocate, sought after for his energetic and forceful approach to the most difficult of cases. Juries naturally warm to his reasoned and intelligent manner and he is capable of adjusting his style of cross-examination from the type of sensitive approach needed with more vulnerable witnesses to the more robust approach often required when dealing with the most serious organised crime.

Many of Alex’s most impressive results have arisen in circumstances where he has been retained at an early stage in proceedings and he is highly sought after by private clients for that reason.

Prior to taking silk, Alex sat on the CPS panels at level 4 for Serious Crime, Fraud, Confiscation, Rape and Serious Sexual Abuse and Counter Terrorism. Alex also conducts an appellate practice, dealing recently with conviction appeals relating to historic convictions.

Alex also sits as a Recorder (Criminal) and is authorised to try serious sexual offences.

Murder and Serious, Organised Crime

R v A, B, D & C – Prosecution counsel, instructed in the leading Operation Venetic case, in which evidence acquired by international law enforcement, from the encrypted EncroChat network is relied upon. The investigation was described by the Home Secretary as “a game changing moment in our fight to tackle serious and organised crime”. Legal argument concerning the application of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (IPA) led to a ruling by the Lord Chief Justice that broke new ground when considering the scope of IPA. The case is ongoing.

R v SA – Prosecution Counsel, leading Isobel Thomas, in nationally reported murder trial. Defendant convicted of planning and attempting the murder of his estranged partner, and the murder of her son who intervened in the attack to save her. Following the stabbings the defendant fled to the south coast with the intention of escaping by crossing the English channel in an inflatable dinghy. Defendant sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum period of 30 years. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12374225/Cowardly-killer-tried-flee-Britain-dinghymurdering-estranged-partners-son-teenager-stepped-stop-stabbing-mother-jailed-life.html

R v Jonathan Gordon – Prosecution counsel, leading Ellen Shaw, instructed in this case, which arose out of an NCA investigation into a hitman, engaged by those involved in serious organised crime, to conduct acid attacks and shootings in Merseyside. The case relied upon data recovered from the EncroChat network https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10860181/Gangland-enforcer-charged-6-000- attack-victims-acid-10-000-blind-them.html

R v SB – Defence counsel, leading Mark Friend – secured the only acquittal in a pre-meditated, multi-handed murder that was captured on CCTV footage. The case engaged complex issues concerning the law of joint-enterprise. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/21402616/lee-dawson-murder-preston-cctv/

R v Stephanie Steele – Defence counsel, leading Tom Lord of 15 Winckley Square Chambers, instructed to defend the first defendant in a multi-handed, joint enterprise murder. Whilst conducting “cut-throat” cross-examination, based on a detailed analysis of previously undiscovered CCTV images, Alex caused the fourth defendant of five to confess to murder. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/21528475/two-mums-led-brutal-armed-lynch-mob/

R v Lewis Ludford – Defence counsel, leading Sara Haque of Kenworthy’s Chambers, instructed to defend LL, who was 17 years old when he participated in the joint-enterprise murder of a 16-year old boy. The case required sensitive handling of the vulnerability of both defendants and witnesses in the case. The case also involved complicated issues of hearsay, owing to the non-participation of an eye-witness.https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2023-06-23/teenagers-found-guilty-after17-year-old-stabbed-to-death

R v Munawar Hussain – Prosecution counsel, leading Joe Allman, instructed by the Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division to prosecute MA for the attempted murders of a store manager and shopper at a Marks and Spencer store. The case engaged complex psychiatric issues. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11899739/Chilling-momentjihadi-flees-Marks-Spencer-stabbing-rampage.html

R v Cheryl O’Callaghan and others – Prosecution counsel, leading Alaric Walmsley of 7 Harrington Street Chambers, in a multi-handed case arising out of the murder by one housemate of another. The case turned on complex expert evidence, including histopathological findings and the findings of a structural surveyor concerning water damage said to have been caused by an overflowing bath. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-64197081

R v Ryan Palin – Prosecution counsel, leading Alex Langhorn, instructed by Merseyside Complex Case Unit, to prosecute an international drug dealer, responsible for trade in more than 700kg of cocaine and the movement of more than £32m. The case was one of the first fully contested trials to emerge from EncroChat data. https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1732140/Cocaine-drug-dealer-jailed-moneylawyers-Liverpool-Crown-Court

Fraud

R v B,B,F and others – Prosecution counsel, leading Rachel Cooper, in a 10 handed, joint HMRC and Insolvency Service prosecution. The case involves allegations that defendants constructed a complex network of businesses, with the sole intention of conducting a wholesale exploitation of the VAT regime.

R v Bone and others – Alex was instructed as leading counsel to represent a defendant charged with orchestrating a multi-investor property portfolio fraud. Alex led a team comprised of junior counsel, specialist fraud solicitors and a forensic accountant in their detailed examination of the enormous volume of material relied upon by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy .

R v Hassan Butt – Alex was instructed as leading counsel in an eBay and international gold bullion prosecution, brought by the Counter Terrorism Division of the Metropolitan Police. The case involved a complex series of interconnected fraud allegations, built around a trading entity operating through the eBay platform.

Rape & Family Abuse Cases

Alex is regularly instructed to defend, in the full spectrum of sexual offences work, on a private client basis. Alex often provides pre-charge, strategic advice and written representations, designed to obtain the best outcomes at the earliest stage.

Where criminal charges are unavoidable, Alex is able to offer a highly client focussed service, targeted towards achieving excellent outcomes, either by deploying an expert approach to trial or by building specialist packages of mitigation, designed to lead to rehabilitative sentencing.

For further examples of private client work and outcomes, please contact David Wright, dwright@lincolnhousechambers.com

R v O – Alex was instructed as leading counsel in a child sexual exploitation prosecution involving 11 complainants in Rochdale. The case turned on the review of a substantial volume of social media material and involved the sensitive handling of child complainants with complex backgrounds.

R v N – Alex was instructed in this case which involved allegations of child rape, assault and sexual abuse of three different children spread across two different families. The case involved a great deal of material from social networking sources.

R v P – Alex was instructed in this case which involved two complainants and allegations of child rape, sexual assault, abduction, grooming and enforced prostitution over a period of more than a decade.

R v N – Alex was counsel in this case involving allegations of child abduction and sexual activity with a child. The complainant suffered from extreme learning difficulties and her evidence had to be given with the assistance of an intermediary.

R v M – Alex was instructed in this case involving allegations of sexual abuse by one child of another within a family setting.