Nigel Lambert KC

Call 1974 | Silk 1999

"Nigel is a great storyteller, who is loved by juries - they feel persuaded by his approach."

Chambers & Partners [2024]

"His preparation is excellent, he's very diligent and he turns around papers quickly."

Chambers & Partners, 2023

"A leader in his field." Ranked as a QC in "Chambers UK Bar 2021". Recognised for his detailed preparation and the impressive speed at which it is done.

"Hard-working, excellently prepared and meticulous in his approach."

Chambers & Partners 2022

"Prepares excellently and his turnaround time is impressive."

Chambers & Partners 2021

Expertise

Murder & Manslaughter

Nigel is very regularly instructed to defend in murder trials. He is often able to distill and make simple for juries pathology and scientific evidence and the mass of detail found within prosecution telephone and cell site evidence. He has secured acquittals in cases where the Defendant has not given evidence.

Nigel was instructed to represent a Defendant, in a well-publicised case at the Central Criminal Court, where the defendant was charged with gross negligence Manslaughter following the death of a person who obtained ‘diet preparations’ online.

Nigel also has considerable experience of appearing in cases involving: terrorism, organised crime, general crime, sexual offences and successfully defending soldiers in a number of Courts Martial.

Notable cases can be found below.

Notable Crime cases


Birmingham “Rap song murder” trial.

Nigel Lambert KC secures unanimous murder acquittal for defendant in Birmingham “Rap song murder” trial. Nigel was instructed by Thompson & Co in high profile case of a group knife attack where a convicted co-defendant and local rapper was later found with rap lyrics boasting about what he had done.

His client was alleged to have known that, when he moved off in a Birmingham high street within a group of five, at least two of their number were armed with knives and were determined to seriously assault or kill the victim if they came across him.

This was a case closely following the decision in R v Jogee and Ruddock.

R v A Birmingham Crown Court

Nigel Lambert is instructed by Hussain and Co to represent a serving uniformed Police Sergeant who, with others, is charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and a number of offences of misconduct in public office. The officer is alleged to have abused his unique position of trust as a police officer to help civilian friends and acquaintances who themselves, or whose friends, had had brushes with the police. The allegations are that he did so by accessing sensitive and confidential data held on police computers to research internal police information about incidents.

R v S [2019]

By arson attack upon home of rival gang member.

R v S A

Knife attack in street following argument at a party.

R v S M

Murder of business owner in the course of commercial burglary.

R v B M

Murder in course of rivalry between drug gangs in Bristol.

R v H Central Criminal Court

Leading Jonathan Lennon. Murder. Nigel Lambert KC successfully represented a Defendant who, with his girlfriend, were alleged, as secondary parties to a joint enterprise, to have shouted encouragement to their neighbour who was said to be armed with a long-bladed kitchen knife. Although these two Defendants were nowhere near the scene of the actual killing – the Crown’s case was that the words used – “Stab um” – encouraged their neighbour to stab a young third party.

R v K Nottingham Crown Court

Leading Jim Tilbury. Defendant originally indicted with the murder of her 8 month old baby – Nigel Lambert KC eventually secured an acceptable plea to manslaughter on the basis that her husband and the teachings of the church at which they attended, and of which he was a pastor, forbade medical intervention for the sick.

R v G and others Preston Crown Court

Successfully defended a young mother charged with causing or allowing the death of her seven-week-old baby. [Originally charged with murder – but not proceeded with].

R v Krezolek and Anor Birmingham Crown Court

Represented the stepfather in the much-publicized murder of the four-year-old boy – Daniel Pelka – who was said to have been systematically starved, brutally assaulted, punished and imprisoned at home.

R v Hadfield and Ors Preston Crown Court

Secured murder acquittal in the trial of a co-Defendant Dale Cregan, after a four-month, high security, high profile trial. The Manchester police described the multiple killings – including those of two on-duty female police officers as “the worst ever in their history” – involving the use of hand grenades as well as conventional firearms.

R v M Central Criminal Court

Nigel represented the only defendant in a group of three to be cleared of murder following a dispute over the share of criminal proceeds from the scrap metal trade.

R v O B Central Criminal Court

Multi handed murder of two brothers, part of ongoing rivalry between South London gangs. During the trial Nigel pressed the Prosecution to investigate and interrogate the mobile phones of Prosecution witnesses. It then became clear the witnesses, before completing their evidence, had been in contact with interested third parties. This gave rise to a successful abuse of process argument in which a very detailed Schedule of Phone Calls and Events, prepared by Nigel, was heavily relied upon. The success of this hearing prompted some successful appeals by Co-defendants who were later to rely upon the “Lambert Schedule”.

R v U B Central Criminal Court

Sixteen Defendants were charged with the murder of two brothers in a street fight in South London. Because of the number of Defendants involved the indictment was severed. Nigel represented the main Defendant in Trial 2 and secured an acquittal following an abuse of process argument arising out of unlawful contact between prosecution witnesses and third parties (see R v O B above). Those originally convicted in Trial 1 successfully appealed in the light of the submissions made in Trial 2; but the Court of Appeal ordered that four Defendants from Trial 1 should be re-tried. Instructed to represent one of those four. After further admissibility arguments the shape of the prosecution case had changed sufficiently to allow acceptable pleas to be offered.

R v H*** L*** Central Criminal Court

Represented a Defendant aged 15, on a murder charge arising from a “happy-slapping” incident outside a Mosque in Tooting. The Prosecution accepted pleas to manslaughter on the first day of trial. The incident attracted national media attention.

R v O Central Criminal Court

Victoria Station Murder Clash of rival gangs.

R v S Central Criminal Court

Gang on gang shooting at point blank range.

R v R Stafford Crown Court

Sixteen-year-old assassin pulled the trigger nine times in the drive-by shooting of a member of a rival street gang.

R v C G Central Criminal Court

Successfully defended a Peruvian blind man, who – with his daughter and son – were charged with the murder of his brother-in-law following allegations of abuse committed by the brother-in-law. The killing was sound recorded on a mobile telephone. Almost certainly the first time that the sound of an actual death, from beginning to end, was heard by a CCC jury.

R v S Central Criminal Court

Allegation of murder, with a scimitar and a golf club, in the Defendant’s front garden, following an argument over a football between the children of neighbours after a game of football in the street. Successfully defended.

R v H Central Criminal Court

Murder by mistake. Attackers given incorrect information and entered wrong premises and killed stranger, issues of transferred malice. Successfully defended.

R v N Central Criminal Court

Seventeen-year-old member of an East London Youth Club along with other members of the club was charged with the murder of an abusive drunk walking past the club premises. Successfully defended.

R v F Oxford Crown Court

Well publicised murder by initial torture followed by forcing victim into River Thames and beating him until he drowned. Successfully defended.

R v K Central Criminal Court

Allegation of murder by male of his female partner by jumping up in the middle of a meal and stabbing her with the steak knife, already in his hand. Successfully defended.

R v R Sheffield Crown Court

Murder indictment stayed following successful abuse of process argument where the Prosecution sought to retain the anonymity of their main witness.

R v A Cardiff Crown Court

Nineteen-year-old man charged with the manslaughter of a seventy-six-year-old man. Successful defence – Nigel established that the victim was so drunk that he tripped and fell backwards striking his head on the pavement.

R v I Central Criminal Court

Murder by three Romanian brothers who robbed, tortured, tied up and left for dead a male who had been lured from a public house and attacked in his own home.

R v Hamlett and Ors [2016]

Operation Exactness. Successfully Defended – Nyall Hamlett at the Central Criminal Court. He was acquitted of conspiracy to murder and preparation of acts of terrorism. Operation Exactness has been “one of the most significant recent counter-terrorism investigations in the UK…. If successful, the plan would have created fear and panic amongst the communities of West London”.

Mr Hamlett and three others were all said to have been influenced by events in Syria and Iraq and inspired by an Islamic State fatwa, posted on You Tube by an IS spokesman, to kill disbelievers in the West. It was alleged that their targets were the police, military, or civilians – and the plan was to assassinate them in drive-by shootings – using a firearm with a silencer and then escape by moped undetected.

The trial, for both conspiracy to murder and preparation of terrorist acts, which has received international publicity, lasted for almost three months. Tarik Hassane, a medical student and Suhaib Majeed, a physics undergraduate were convicted.

R v M I H Central Criminal Court

In this widely reported case Nigel represented one of two brothers – after the third brother took a holiday to Turkey but ended up in Syria with his wife supporting ISIS. The two brothers arranged funding, following the third brother’s demand for money to be withdrawn from his own dormant UK bank account and from the proceeds of sale of his UK property. The brothers then, out of “misguided loyalty”, sent him his money to Syria to assist with his housing and welfare at a time when it was said that he was training and then fighting for ISIS.
Nigel has advised in circumstances where a British National is said to have been closely connected with young persons seeking to enter Syria.

R v Hamlett and Ors [2016]

Operation Exactness. Successfully Defended – Nyall Hamlett at the Central Criminal Court. He was acquitted of conspiracy to murder and preparation of acts of terrorism. Operation Exactness has been “one of the most significant recent counter-terrorism investigations in the UK…. If successful, the plan would have created fear and panic amongst the communities of West London”.

Mr Hamlett and three others were all said to have been influenced by events in Syria and Iraq and inspired by an Islamic State fatwa, posted on You Tube by an IS spokesman, to kill disbelievers in the West. It was alleged that their targets were the police, military, or civilians – and the plan was to assassinate them in drive-by shootings – using a firearm with a silencer and then escape by moped undetected.

The trial, for both conspiracy to murder and preparation of terrorist acts, which has received international publicity, lasted for almost three months. Tarik Hassane, a medical student and Suhaib Majeed, a physics undergraduate were convicted.

R v M I H Central Criminal Court

In this widely reported case Nigel represented one of two brothers – after the third brother took a holiday to Turkey but ended up in Syria with his wife supporting ISIS. The two brothers arranged funding, following the third brother’s demand for money to be withdrawn from his own dormant UK bank account and from the proceeds of sale of his UK property. The brothers then, out of “misguided loyalty”, sent him his money to Syria to assist with his housing and welfare at a time when it was said that he was training and then fighting for ISIS.
Nigel has advised in circumstances where a British National is said to have been closely connected with young persons seeking to enter Syria.

R v P Isleworth Crown Court

Leading Joe Hingston. Defended Border Force agent using government vehicle to import both £3.5m worth of drugs and automatic firearms with ammunition.

R v S and Ors

Isleworth Crown Court: successfully defended in case of massive importations of very high value of cigarettes and drugs.

R v F Winchester Crown Court

Huntingdon Life Sciences protest group member.

R v D - Inner London Crown Court

Attempted murder by defenestration from a tower block.

R v B - Manchester Crown Court

Post Office armed robbery – successful abuse of process argument resulting in immediate suspension of police officers. Incident secretly recorded by the police. Once the secret recording was discovered by the Defence the film was enhanced. At court the police officers were confronted with the recorded evidence.

R v R - Kingston Crown Court

Largest seizure of cocaine known to UK Courts at time of trial. Upon representations being made to the Prosecution severity of charges drastically reduced.

R v S - Central Criminal Court

Successfully defended H M Prison Officer accused of “springing” a prisoner from Wormwood Scrubs. As part of his defence Nigel successfully applied to take the jury on a view of the then “vulnerable points” within one of the UK’s most well-known prisons – since when the prison has closed the gaps.

R v T - Guildford Crown Court

Young offender with Aspergers Syndrome alleged to have raped two young victims – successfully defended. Nigel spent a very long time with the client – explaining every issue, gaining his confidence, and slowly obtaining his detailed defence.

R v L - Winchester Crown Court

Historic sexual abuse case stayed as an abuse of process.

Nigel is presently instructed in a very high-value private prosecution fraud.

Nigel has defended in a large number of complex multi-complainant cases prosecuted by the SFO and HMRC.

Notable Business Crime & Fraud cases


R v Aizlewood [2016] – Southwark Crown Court

Massive fraud relating to a government football training scheme for apprenticeships

R v M B

Large scale falsification of immigration documentation by chartered surveyor

R v W & Ors - Kingston Crown Court

6-month trial in £20 million MTIC fraud.

R v W - Wolverhampton Crown Court

£20m loss to Revenue and customs – VAT “Carousel fraud” – Trial spanned a period of over a year.

R v S - Guildford Crown Court

£6.5m loss to revenue and Customs – VAT successfully defended. “Carousel fraud”. Following legal submissions regarding the Prosecution’s failure to disclose – No Evidence offered.

R v Li - Southwark Crown Court

Year-long trial. International banking fraud – successfully defended.

R v C - Guildford Crown Court

Income Tax fraud re off-shore accounts.

R v X L - Southwark Crown Court

£7m money laundering conspiracy directly connected with the contravention or the Copyright design and Patents Act 1988 and the Trademarks Act 1994. – regarding the largest seizure in Western Europe, to date, of counterfeit DVDs.

R v A - Southwark Crown Court

Successful submission of No Case to Answer on seven counts of money laundering – relating to allegations of corruption at the highest political levels in Nigeria.

R v M - Worcester Crown Court

SFO money laundering prosecution regarding the trading of an investment company which targeted ex-patriot British citizens.

  • Nigel sat as a Crown Court Recorder for 1996 – 2019.
  • He is a Bencher of Gray’s Inn (2004).
  • Deputy Head of Chambers 2004 – 2009.
  • Head of Chambers from 2009 – 2014.
  • Member – Criminal Bar Association
  • Member – South Eastern Circuit
  • Member – Justice
  • Member – Fraud Lawyers Association
  • Past Chairman – North London Bar Mess
  • Former committee member of Bar Council, Criminal Bar Association and South Eastern Circuit Gray’s Inn

  • Gray’s Inn Trained Advocacy Teacher
  • Lectured on Advocacy, Criminal Procedure and Vulnerable Witnesses to the Bermuda Bar and Judiciary.
  • Lectured on Professional Ethics – Council of Legal Education [now University of Law]

2024

Chambers & Partners
Crime: “Nigel is a great storyteller, who is loved by juries – they feel persuaded by his approach.”
Ranked: Band 4

2023

Chambers & Partners
Crime: “His preparation is excellent, he’s very diligent and he turns around papers quickly.”
Ranked: Band 4

2022

Chambers & Partners
Crime: “Hard-working, excellently prepared and meticulous in his approach.”
Ranked: Band 4

2021

Chambers & Partners
Crime: “Prepares excellently and his turnaround time is impressive.”

Chambers & Partners 2024 Logo

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