Rhodri James
Year of Call: 2002
Education:
LL.B (Hons) - University of Wales, Cardiff
Practice Profile:
Rhodri has appeared for the defence and the prosecution in criminal courts throughout London and the South East.
He has substantial experience in serious and organised crime including, drug offences (conspiracy to supply and large scale importation and supply), violent and sexual offences and firearms related crime.
Rhodri has also been regularly instructed to represent children charged with serious offences. In 2007 he represented a 13 year old boy charged with arson with intent to endanger life and in 2008, the youngest ever person (13) to be arrested by the Metropolitan Police, for the possession of an assassin's kit.
Notable Cases:
2007
R v A Youth - 13 year old boy charged with arson with intent to endanger life. Prosecution alleged that he and a friend set fire to a Brighton & Hove bus during December 2008.
R v Morley - 20 year old man charged with homophobic assault under s.18 OAPA 1861.
R v Chandler & others - Led junior in ten week conspiracy to supply Class A drugs trial.
R v Laye - Distraction burglary of 93 year old lady.
R v Blackwood - s.20 OAPA 1861 prosecution resulting from violence during the course of a football match.
2008
R v Moriarty & others - Gang violence under s.18 OAPA 1861 where the victim died prior to trial.
R v McKinnie & others - Large scale affray with 10 defendants.
R v A Youth - 15 year old girl charged with possession of a pump action shotgun and a sawn-off shotgun.
R v A Youth - 13 year old boy charged with possession of firearms with intent to allow others to endanger life. Referred to as an assassin’s kit because a pistol, two silencers and thirty bullets were found.
R v Cripps - Conspiracy to rob and possession of firearms. A string of betting shops in west London targeted by an armed gang.
2009
R v Ferrada - Conspiracy to steal from National Car Park ticket machines.
R v A Youth - 17 year old charged with three violent street robberies.
R v Vijayathasan - People smuggling through Dover.
R v Johnson & others - Led junior in seven week trial involving gang violence. Indictment included allegations of rape, false imprisonment, blackmail and possession of a firearm.
Prosecution work
2006
R v Marchment - Death by careless driving. Incident happened in a car park at Gatwick Airport and resulted in the death of a three year old boy.
2008
R v Howe & White - Led junior in possession of firearms case. Thousands of weapons hoarded by enthusiasts including a World War II Butterfly Bomb.
2009
R v Painesn - s.18 OAPA 1861 where the injuries suffered were so severe that the complainant was unlikely to ever regain full use of his left arm.
R v Porter - Robbery of a 78 year old man in his own home.
R v A Youth - A youth (17) charged with sexual activity with a child (7).
Court of Appeal
R v George - Appeal against sentence imposed for one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
R v Greenaway - Appeal against sentence imposed for criminal damage, where the victim's uninsured house had been destroyed by water damage.
R v Doughty - Appeal against sentence imposed for three counts of sexual assault and one of failing to notify the police of a change of address.
R v Johnson & others - Appeal against conviction outstanding.
2010
R v Spicer & others. Led junior in multi million pound advance fee fraud.
Further Professional Information:
CPS London - Grade 2
Rhodri has also represented inmates at Independent Adjudications and Parole Board hearings and interested parties at Coroner’s Inquests.
Membership:
Criminal Bar Association
South Eastern Circuit
Sussex Bar Mess
Languages:
Conversational French
Interests:
Travel, rugby union and cricket.
Rhodri's rugby career ended at university following an unfortunate series of injuries. He remains an avid fan of rugby generally and especially the annual Six Nations competition.
He has travelled extensively through Europe and North America and also visited; Bermuda, Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
As for cricket, he makes the odd appearance when coerced into doing so.
Practice Group(s):
Crime
Practice Areas:
Criminal law (including fraud), Confiscation and asset recovery, Disciplinary hearings (including Sports Tribunals), Prison law and prison crime, Sports and disciplinary
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