“An exceptional jury advocate, who is able to very quickly break down complex cases for juries.”
Legal 500
Alistair Webster KC
1976 | Silk 1995
Praised year after year in the leading guides:
· “OUTSTANDING INTELLECT”
· “EXCEPTIONAL ADVOCATE”
· “FIRST CLASS STRATEGIST AND TACTICIAN”
· “ACCESSIBLE AND RESPONSIVE”
· “ELOQUENT, BRAVE AND EFFECTIVE”
· “A FANTASTIC QC”
CHAMBERS AND PARTNERS 2024, Financial Crime (UK Bar The Regions) says:
“His legal knowledge is second to none and he brings a case to life with so much charisma.”
LEGAL 500 2024, says:
“Alistair picks things up exceptionally quickly, both mentally and in terms of response times. He is a fantastic advocate on his feet, well-prepared, eloquent and has a lovely manner with both clients and judges. ”
CHAMBERS AND LEGAL 500, in previous years, have said:
“Alistair is always meticulously prepared, and his legal acumen is of the highest level”
“ He is a very skilled silk.” ”He is a tactical genius”
“ A highly experienced silk who excels in complex cases involving allegations of loan, tax and pension frauds, amongst other matters…He is a very good advocate.”
“He’s got a real range of expertise – he’s great on his feet, commands the courtroom but also very, very good with clients in sensitive situations. He’s always available and able to go over ideas. He’s a pleasure to work with and gets great results.”
“Extremely able and committed, he is good both in written argument and in his advocacy.”
‘Tenacious, fearless and a highly skilled cross-examiner.”
“A barrister with great interpersonal skills who gets the best out of clients and the judiciary, and is noted for his attractive advocacy style.”
“He produces excellent performances in the Court of Appeal.” “He is very clever, very hard-working and he has very good judgement.”
CLIENT COMMENT:
"A barrister is a bit like a surgeon. We all hope we will never need one but when you do, you want to make sure you are being looked after by the best one around. Alistair was an unstinting ally for me in a bewildering legal process and not only provided a first class successful defence but also provided the warmth, humanity and humour that ( I came to realise) are essential attributes in a barrister for what is inevitably a long and difficult process. I could not recommend him highly enough".
JW – 2020
Alistair Webster K.C. combines, having taken silk at the age of 41 in 1995, the intellectual and advocacy talents described above, with 28 years’ experience as a leader in his fields of practice. This combination offers to clients a high degree of assurance that their cases will be dealt with efficiently and effectively, with an eye kept constantly on the best way to achieve the best outcome. His breadth of experience means that he has dealt with aspects of fraud not only in the criminal courts, but also in the High Court, the Administrative Court, and the tax tribunals. Added to his experience in proceeds of crime and restraint orders, he is thus able to offer a rare combination of services across the board and to advise with an eye to the consequences beyond the immediate issues presented to him.
Alistair has spent his career as a leader dealing with high profile and difficult cases, across a range of fields of practice which require the combination of intellect, analytical and courtroom skills which he deploys to such effect. Equally at home prosecuting or defending, or acting for Claimants or Respondents, Alistair currently accepts instructions in the following areas:
· FRAUD, BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION, MONEY LAUNDERING
· TAX TRIBUNALS (VAT AND DUTY)
· CIVIL FRAUD
· CONFISCATION AND RESTRAINT
· ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME
· SERIOUS CRIME
· PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINE
· HEALTH AND SAFETY
· PRIVATE PROSECUTIONS
Alistair is on the SFO’s lists both for prosecutions and asset recovery.
He has been a Recorder of the Crown Court for over 30 years.
He is a Master of the Bench of Middle Temple.
His current case load includes: Multi-million pounds money laundering conspiracy for lead defendant in a case alleging currency smuggling on a vast scale; Defending a solicitor charged in relation to an investment trust fraud; Defending a businessman charged with VAT offences; Representing appellants in share valuation appeal; Representing a PhD postgraduate charged with terrorism offences; Representing a UN ambassador charged with fraud.
Notable Cases
"A very experienced campaigner." "Extremely able and committed, he is good both in written argument and in his advocacy." "He's got a real range of expertise - he's great on his feet, commands the courtroom but also very, very good with clients in sensitive situations. He's always available and able to go over ideas. He's a pleasure to work with and gets great results." "Extremely able and committed, good in both written argument and advocacy."
Chambers & Partners
“Tenacious, fearless and a highly skilled cross-examiner.”
Legal 500
“A barrister with great interpersonal skills who gets the best out of clients and the judiciary, and is noted for his attractive advocacy style." "Very user-friendly, and his advocacy shines." "He produces excellent performances in the Court of Appeal." "He is very clever, very hard-working and he has very good judgement." "A fantastic QC."
Chambers & Partners
A selection of Alistair’s recent cases:
Malde & Others v HMRC: Successfully represented the Appellants in 3 month appeal against personal liability notices and penalties relating to alleged huge diversion and VAT fraud. The case involved multi-jurisdictions and companies and trusts from numerous countries.
HMRC v Windsor & Others: Lead defendant in a 6 month trial relating to duty and VAT fraud, including issues of abuse of process, disclosure and intrusive surveillance.
Re: A: Advising, jointly with tax counsel, IFAs in relation to alleged remuneration fraud.
Nuttall & Others v HMRC: Representing lead appellant in Tax Tribunal dispute re: company valuations for gift aid.
Direct Line v Bratch: Civil fraud trial in which a dentist was alleged to have made a false insurance claim.
Re: X: Representing solicitor in directors’ disqualification application
X & Y v HMRC: First Tier Tribunal case with allegations of large-scale duty and vat fraud.
R v E: Successful defence of the former Chief of the county Fire Service charged with fraud by breach of trust.
Seabrook Warehouses v HMRC: Successful challenge to withdrawal of approvals for operations relating to Bonded warehouses, including litigation in the Administrative Court, Court of Appeal and the First Tier Tax Tribunal.
Field Opportunities v HMRC: VAT input case involving Kittel principles. Alistair was described, in the FTT’s decision, as having “acute forensic skills.”
R v Dean Saunders: Successful appeal against sentence for well-known footballer / manager convicted of drink-driving offences.
R v Joshua Molnar: Successful defence of schoolboy charged with the murder of Yussef Makki, a close friend. “You were an absolute rock for us.”
R v Taylor; R v Tasleem: Successful defences in two lengthy murder conspiracy trials.
R v Black and others: Successful prosecution, on behalf of the SFO, of a nationwide solar panel fraud. Consequential confiscation proceedings.
Older cases of Interest:
R v Allansway and others: Successful defence of companies and Director in large scale Environment Agency prosecution, involving the challenging of restraint orders and a successful application for a stay on the grounds of abuse of process. Junior: Samantha Riggs
R (on app of Seabrook Warehousing) v HMRC: Challenge to legality of HMRC action in relation to WOWGR approvals
Hussain v Mukhtah: Successful defence of High Court proceedings for fraudulent misrepresentation in commercial transactions.
R v Sheehan Contractors: Satisfactory resolution of an Environment Agency prosecution for breaches of permitting regulations.
R v L: Successful discharge of restraint orders obtained against the owners of businesses in France and Singapore.
Saunderson v Sonae Industria: Costs appeal in group action
R v McClintock. Northern Ireland: Defence of property developer charged with obtaining large commercial loans fraudulently. Successful negotiations of charges and basis of plea achieving suspended sentence and short director’s disqualification. Junior: Mark Farrell ( N. Ireland bar ).
R v Younis: Successful appeal against historic convictions for conspiracy to murder involving police misconduct.
R v Whelan ( iSoft ): Successful defence of Finance Developer of leading software company charged with making false statements to the market ( FSA ). Junior: Kevin Donnelly.
R v Price: Successful defence of businessman charged with large scale pension fraud. Junior: Penny Small.
Pacific Computers: Successfully represented company in FTT.
R v O’Neill ( Kent Pharmaceuticals ): Successfully represented the lead defendant in SFO prosecution alleging conspiracy to defraud by operating a cartel in the pharmaceuticals industry. Successful settlement of subsequent civil proceedings. Juniors: Richard Simons. Christopher Convey
MTIC cases: LCB and Operation Venison: R v Hindocha & Others; Operation Inertia. All multi-million pound cases.
Money Laundering: Successful defence of a solicitor, stayed as an abuse of process.
Fraud by abuse of position: Successful defence of solicitor arising out of a challenged will.
Doheny and Adams: Leading case on DNA.
Leverton v Clwyd CC: Equal pay; Sexual discrimination.
Prosecutions of Note:
R v Park: The Lady in the lake.
R v Michael Hamer: the murder of Joe Geeling.
R v Bamford: the murder of British heiress in Zimbabwe.
R v Gibbons & othrs. Murder of naval officer run over by his own car in a burglary.
R v Dickenson. Poisoning of own children by mother.
R v Barrow Council and Beckingham. Legionnaires disease outbreak.
R v Grynhaus: Sexual abuse in the ultra-orthodox community.
Regulatory Work
Alistair has advised Solicitors upon their diverse duties and liabilities and advised the HSE and CPS Complex Case Unit in relation to a number of serious cases including the prosecution of various professionals for manslaughter.
Alistair presents tribunal and High Court cases for the GMC.
Alistair is familiar with accountants’ disciplinary procedures.
Alistair has advised The League Managers’ Association amongst others.
ENQUIRIES- Represented senior management in the Waterhouse Enquiry. Carried out the Rennard Enquiry on behalf of the Liberal Democrats.