Name David Huw Williams QC
Occupation
Barrister (Called to Inner Temple 1988), (Queen’s Counsel 2008) Partner Fulcrum Chambers LLP
Specialisation
Fraud, International Corruption, Money Laundering.
Ancillary achievements
Advising a large multi-lateral development bank with regard to revised sanctions procedures. Lecturing on bribery and corruption, fraud, money laundering and financial regulation. Co-editor with Professor David Ormerod Smith: The Law of Theft. 9th ed. (Oxford University Press). “A much-needed and comprehensive update of this leading work. In particular, the chapters on the Fraud Act 2006 offer a valuable analysis of that important new legislation”. – Lord Justice Hooper. Contributor to Fraud: Law, Practice and Procedure. (LexisNexis). Contributor to Fraud – Criminal Law and Procedure (OUP) – Bribery Chapter.
Summary of experience
Earlier editions of Chambers UK have ranked him as a top caliber and “powerful” advocate, noting that he is "one of the few who is equally adept at prosecuting and defending". He has a strong academic pedigree and is a contributor to a number of the leading legal texts in fraud and corruption. He has significant experience of advising in relation to the operation of sanctions tribunals at the International Financial Institutions. He has recently given advice to a Multilateral Development Bank in relation to developing an improved sanctions process. He both prosecutes and defends in heavy criminal cases. His recent work on behalf of the Serious Fraud Office has included the successful prosecution of a number of internationally structured high-yield investment frauds. He has advised with regard to mutual legal assistance issues and the extradition of foreign nationals. Notably he was instructed as one of the two leading counsel by the SFO in the investigation into the affairs of BAE Systems plc. He has worked as a part of a team with UK-based investigators and accountants and has worked closely with senior members of the US Department of Justice, the South African prosecutorial authorities and Eastern European law enforcement agencies. He has substantial experience in heading defence teams in cases calling for leading counsel who can quickly assimilate a large volume of material and give clear and detailed advice as to the preparation of the defendant’s case. Recent defence work includes leading briefs for principal defendants in cases involving: company fraud, industrial espionage, local government corruption, money laundering, carousel fraud, people trafficking and NHS fraud. He has experience of defending in highly sensitive cases involving terrorists and a former member of the security services. He has defended in a number of murder trials and has substantial experience as a trial advocate defending in serious and difficult cases involving organized crime. He has a scientific background and is a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry. He has considerable experience of dealing in cases involving forensic and other expert evidence. In defence of a case involving voice identification evidence, he and his team called a prominent US academic witness to successfully counter the evidence of the leading UK experts. Cases in which he has been instructed have involved a detailed understanding of complex banking and forensic accounting issues. He was a member of CBA working groups producing papers on the Fraud Bill and the Corruption Bill and has lectured to other lawyers and police officers in relation to subjects ranging from hearsay and bad character to the Fraud Act.
Recent Notable Cases
R v David Smith
Att Gen of the Turks and Caicos Islands
Leading Counsel in the largest “Ponzi scheme” to be prosecuted outside the USA.
SFO v X Co
Leading an internal investigation for a large international corporate facing allegations of corruption advanced by the World Bank Group and the Serious Fraud Office.
SFO v BAE Systems PLC
Serious Fraud Office
Over a long period David Williams has acted as co-leading counsel in the high profile SFO investigation into the affairs of BAE Systems plc.
R v Hanna et al
Stokoe Partnership – Bambos Tsiattalou
For the first defendant in a multi-handed drugs and money laundering conspiracy. This was one of the largest SOCA operation yet mounted. A case complicate by the sorts of features which characterise allegations of large scale organised crime.
R v Davies
Byrne and partners – Matthew Frankland and Jo Pacifica
For an old Etonian charged with allegations of theft. This was a Fraud Prosecution Case in which it was alleged that the defendant had stolen in excess of £1.5 million for a family charitable trust fund.
R v Marcus Siyum et al
For the second defendant in a multi-handed murder trial. This case involved a revenge gang shooting in London. Siyum was the sole defendant to be acquitted of the single allegation of murder that he faced at the conclusion of Crown case following a submission of no case. A young and vulnerable defendant.
R v Nadim Kurribukus and another
For the first defendant in a very difficult murder trial. The defendant was a young Muslim male who was accused of ambushing and then setting fire to his former boyfriend in revenge attack.
R v Adam Share
Irwin Mitchell – Sarah Cleary
Acting for a company executive in this large multi-handed prosecution. The allegations revolved around the alleged use of an agency run by former police officers. The prosecution alleged that company executives used intelligence unlawfully obtained by the agency to gain commercial advantage and to interfere with investigations run by prosecuting authorities.
R v Muhareem Garip & others
A multi-handed people smuggling case involving the largest investigation into human trafficking ever conducted by the Metropolitan Police. In this case David Williams made successful use of the “Goodyear” procedure. Having carefully considered the strength of the case, Garip pleaded guilty, on an agreed basis and having received an indication as to sentence. He received a sentence which was very much less the other defendants who contested the trial.
R v Neil Lewis and others
Irwin Mitchell – Kevin Robinson
David Williams acted for Lewis, the first defendant in a large-scale “missing trader” carousel fraud. This case was stayed as an abuse of the process of the court following an application led by the team for Lewis.
R v Twiss
Serious Fraud Office
This case was brought by the Serious Fraud Office concerning a US$2.2million. The accused, Roddam Twiss was the Chief Executive of the Dragon Group, which included The Grosvenor Trust. He was estimated to have benefited to the tune of almost £540,000 and was charged with theft, conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to steal. The trial involved abuse of process arguments, breach of privilege issues (in UK and France), the use of foreign evidence, a live link from the USA and confiscation matters.
Contact details
Fulcrum Chambers LLP
11 Old Square, Lincoln’s Inn, London WC2A 3TS T: +44 (0)20 7186 0420 D: +44 (0)20 7186 0421
E: davidwilliams@fulcrumchambers.com | 
