Narita Bahra KC
1997 | Silk 2019
Narita Bahra KC is instructed to defend in high profile and heavyweight Tier 1 Financial Crime, Serious Crime and Regulatory cases.
Narita’s fearless and tenacious approach makes her widely sought after by professional and lay clients. She is recognised as a King’s Counsel who can skilfully deal with the most difficult of cases. Her investigative approach results in leading her team to successful outcomes.
Nominated as Financial Crime Silk 2023
Winner of ‘Women of Achievement Award’ 2020
Winner of ‘Criminal Lawyer 2019’ Legal Awards 2019
Winner of ‘Legal Excellence Awards’ Signature Awards
Shortlisted for "Women in Law Award - 100 Years Legal Awards 2019
Narita is recognised as a specialist in Disclosure. Her instruction in numerous high-profile cases has resulted in disclosure failings by prosecuting authorities being unmasked. Narita has been commissioned to publish a 2024 update to her successful practitioner’s guidebook ‘Tackling Disclosure in the Criminal Courts’.
Narita is recognised as a specialist in expert witness cases. Narita’s first case in silk resulted in disqualification of an expert witness. Since that date many of Narita’s expert witness cases have attracted substantial media coverage. Narita was then instructed in the ensuing special appeals at the Court of Appeal.
Narita is ranked as a Tier 1 Silk in Financial Crime. Her publication on Confiscation and Restraint has become a trusted practical guide for lawyers.
Narita appears as a legal correspondent on National TV and Radio, including Sky News, BBC news, ITV news, Channel 4 news and Radio 4. Narita presents a Crime Series (Killer Britain) with Dermott Murnaghan, appears in BBC Crime series (Murder in the Valleys) & (Cold Case Killers) in which she represents a client who is cleared after 22 years.
Narita is a regular contributor to legal journals.
Narita’s success as a female Crime Silk who is smashing traditional stereotypes is recognised by The Financial Times and the national media. Narita was the first King’s Counsel to mark the centenary of women entering the legal profession.
Narita is Master of the Bench for The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn.
Narita accepts Direct Access instructions.
Business Crime
What the Legal Directories say;
“Narita Bahra KC is noted for her expert defence of clients in financial crime matters. She handles cases involving allegations of tax evasion, fraud and money laundering.”
"She will run legal arguments in the face of fierce opposition and invariably she will be correct."
"Narita is bright, on point and has a magnetic personality."
"She is very easily accessible and works around the clock. She reassures and appeases any client."
"She is fearless and at the same time very empathetic and calming for the client."
"She is exceptional as an advocate and will make sure that no stone is left unturned."
Chambers & Partners 2024 (Financial Crime)“Narita is a fearless advocate with real court presence. When she is on her feet she commands attention and respect and in conference she instils confidence in her clients.”
Legal 500 2024 (Fraud)'Narita is one of the most sought after silks in the country. She is respected and admired by the judiciary and her colleagues. Very few can absorb and then deliver with formidable vigour complex legal arguments before the most senior members of the judiciary like she does. She is a trailblazer and is in a class of her own.'
Legal 500 2024 (Crime)"Narita is fearless in court and works tirelessly on her cases. Her case preparation is meticulous."
Chambers & Partners 2023 (Financial Crime)“Narita is a maverick in her approach and leaves no stone unturned. There are no weaknesses.”
Legal 500 2023 (Fraud)"Narita is fearless in court and meticulous in her preparation of a case, which makes her the perfect counsel for cases requiring further disclosure from the Crown. She will stop at nothing to achieve the best result for her client." Chambers & Partners 2023
“Narita is an outstanding barrister – her advocacy skills are second to none.”
Legal 500 2023 (crime)“She under-promises the client but over-delivers every time, while clearly communicating with them on a level that they understand.” – Chambers UK 2022 (Crime)
“Narita is tenacious and she leaves no stone uncovered. She will dive into the unused material and seek disclosure till there is nothing else left to consider, meaning that our clients can be assured that every avenue that could be considered has been. Her closing speeches are phenomenal and she is able to relate to a jury no matter what their background or age. A barrister who gets results.” – Legal 500 2022 (crime)
“Narita is tenacious and meticulous in her preparation of cases which makes her the perfect choice as counsel for fraud cases.” – Legal 500 2022 (Fraud)
“Ms Bahra QC is a perfectionist and all her work is done to the highest of standards. She is always fully prepared and this is reflected in the quality of her advocacy, her ability to instil confidence in every client and her written arguments/legal documents.” – Legal 500 2021 (Crime)
“Runs tenacious arguments and works her socks off.” “She has a high profile on the circuit.” – Chambers UK 2021 (Crime)
“She has a unique style in front of juries, who like her approach.” – Legal 500 2020 (Crime)
“A very polished operator; tenacious and fearless.” – Legal 500 2020 (Fraud)
“A very capable and formidable advocate who is incredibly hardworking and tenacious.” – Legal 500 2019 (Crime)
“She defends in money laundering, grant funding and phishing cases.” – Legal 500 2019 (Fraud)
Narita has extensive experience in complex fraud and money laundering cases. She is noted for handling fraud cases with an international dimension, particularly in South East Asia. Narita excels at distilling and explaining complex factual matrices to both clients and juries in a concise and clear manner.
Narita’s areas of expertise include anti-competitive conduct (cartels, market abuse, insider dealing); civil/commercial fraud; fraudulent trading; mortgage fraud; money laundering; revenue fraud; VAT/MTIC fraud.
She has been instructed in a number of high-profile cases in which disclosure failings by prosecuting authorities have been unmasked. Four of these cases became the subject of review by the House of Commons Committee. Numerous other successful challenges on disclosure issues are detailed in the cases further below.
Narita is recognised as having vast and practical knowledge of the increasing prosecutions involving the Hawala banking system. Narita also has an excellent knowledge of ancillary proceedings, such as criminal confiscation, asset forfeiture and restraint law.
Increasingly instructed in quasi-criminal and regulatory proceedings, she represents professionals such as accountants, financial advisers and solicitors, as well as senior executives facing charges relating to dishonesty or corruption in business practices.
R v P (2021) - Multi-handed conspiracy to defraud in respect to the sale of diamonds. Prosecution dropped further to Narita’s team’s representations on disclosure failures. The exposure resulted in the acquittal of their client. See press coverage: The Times | Evening Standard | BBC News
R v S - Prosecution brought against 8 defendants for an alleged fraud involving the sale of carbon credits and diamonds for the purposes of investment. Narita’s team exposed fundamental disclosure failings which resulted in the collapse of the case. See press coverage.
R v J - Successfully defended in an International £11 million money laundering trial, where the defence advanced was Hawala Banking. The defence relied upon Hawala expert evidence. It was asserted that the client had no knowledge or suspicion that money laundering was taking place and that the transactions had the appearance of genuine Hawala transfers.
R v C - Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (‘DBEIS’) prosecution against a client who had run an initially successful company, which then went into liquidation, owing creditors in the region of £2.9m.
R v K - Defending an employee of Royal Mail Revenue Protection Department who was alleged to have assisted a Company to defraud the Royal Mail of approximately £33 million pounds of revenue fraud and of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Not guilty verdicts entered.
R v P – Leading 2 Juniors - Defending a complex and unusual joint HMRC and Police investigation in which it was alleged that tax evasion emanated from mobile phone theft through companies.
R v S - Defending a businessman, charged alongside ten co-defendants, with being knowingly involved in a conspiracy to evade excise duty on diesel fuel on a large national scale. The case collapsed due to disclosure failings. See press coverage.
R v M - Conspiracy to money launder in respect to organised crime groups.
R v M - Multi-handed conspiracy using MSBs to launder significant sums.
R v Z - Cybercrime investigation into corruption across the banking industry. Represented a Banker alleged to have opened 144 fraudulent accounts enabling in excess of three million pounds to be laundered, as well as passing on sensitive details to those committing the Cyber Fraud (£113 million) in operation Kadenza.
R v A - Represented a Director in a European Union Match Funding Conspiracy to Defraud.
R v K - Represented the first defendant in an alleged joint enterprise to flood the UK with millions of illegal cigarettes and evasion of duty and VAT.
R v S - Represented a Solicitor arrested as part of an international money laundering ring who made in excess of 113 million pounds, conducting one of Britain’s largest cyber scams cold-calling bank customers.
R v G - Client acquitted at trial of Money Laundering. Instructed 3 years after charge and after the instruction of several previous defence teams. Using knowledge of Islamic Banking (Sharia compliant finance) and instructing a Forensic Accountant successfully enabled the jury to understand and identify gaps in the complex prosecution case.
R v B - Represented the Personal Assistant to Barbara Broccoli (owner of James Bond empire) and employee of EON Enterprises Limited. Client was acquitted of three counts of fraud and three counts of theft. Narita identified significant prosecution disclosure failings which damaged the integrity of the three-year investigation. Prosecution offered no evidence on day one of the trial.
R v S - Secured an acquittal for client in the “Tesco Cash for Crash” Insurance fraud conspiracy. Client was one of twenty-one defendants facing trial.
R v S - Defended in an eight-handed conspiracy to commit multi million pound Home Office visa fraud. The fraud emanated from hiding assets via money loops to misuse the visa application system. The case involved cross-examination of forensic accountants. Successfully prevented the Crown from being permitted to allow additional counts at the outset of the trial and defended the Crown’s application to voluntary bill additional charges in the High Court. This case involved a series of public interest immunity applications.
R v C - Represented the first defendant in a nineteen-handed conspiracy to commit fraud. The case related to abusing consumer protection offered by banks and credit card companies.
R v S - Instructed in what was described by the Serious Organised Crime Agency as, “The largest importation of heroin into the United Kingdom from the Indian subcontinent, Pakistan and Afghanistan”. A Hawala banking defence was advanced at trial which explained the client’s financial affairs represented legitimate financial transactions.
R v S - A ten defendant case involved a conspiracy to defraud the Oxfordshire Police and insurance companies. The Prosecution offered no evidence against the client at the conclusion of her evidence in chief. The judge ruled that “the trial for all other co-defendants would continue.
R v P - Client was the finance director of the London Philharmonic Orchestra charged with fraud in excess of 2.3 million pounds.
R v A and others (2021) - International drugs conspiracies, associated money laundering and possession of a prohibited firearm and ammunition. Following a series of disclosure requests and successful defence representations, the matter resulted in the prosecution offering no evidence against Mr A on all of the conspiracy counts on day five of the trial.
Byrne, Court of Appeal Criminal Division [2021] EWCA Crim 107. Instructed for two Appellants in a complex appeal relating to the reliability and weight of expert evidence in a number of conjoined appeals. This case concerned the safety of a number of fraud convictions which relied on the evidence of a discredited expert witness who was exposed by Narita in an earlier fraud.
Serious Crime
Narita is instructed to defend in high profile and heavyweight serious crime cases, including murder, organised crime (including overseas drug cartels, firearms and armed robberies) terrorism and serious sexual offences.
R v G (2021) - Press Coverage: Secured a Special Verdict of Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity. The prosecution abandoned reliance on a forensic psychiatrist as an expert witness after Narita exposed his non-compliance with expert evidence rules and ensuing disclosure issues. The defence application to the court to comment upon and/or invite an inquiry into the expert psychiatric evidence obtained by the prosecution was successful. Press Coverage: The Times | BBC News | LBC News
R v E (2021) - Defending client charged with two counts of encouraging terrorism contrary to section 1 Terrorism Act 2006. Narita’s team instructed a series of experienced expert witnesses to support the client’s mental health defence.Those reports formed the basis of enabling the defence to engage with the prosecution, CPS and Attorney General to successfully resolve the matters in the public and client’s interests, without a trial.
R v A (2021) - Acted for the principal defendant in a case concerning international drugs conspiracies to import and supply class A and B drugs, money laundering and possession of prohibited firearms. Prosecuted and investigated by officers of the Organised Crime Partnership (collaboration between the National Crime Agency and the Metropolitan Police).The prosecution alleged that the client was a key participant in the drugs conspiracies, importing and then supplying class A and B drugs and moving cash internationally. The case relied heavily on telephonic evidence, including Encrochat devices. A series of successful disclosure requests and representations resulted in the prosecution reviewing the case against the client five days into the trial and ultimately offered no evidence on the five conspiracy counts, both importing and supplying, indicted against the client. To achieve this successful outcome, the defence had to challenge the evidence in these key areas, with the assistance of expert witnesses:
Telephone and Cell Site evidence
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) data
Forensic and DNA evidence
Covert recordings and surveillance
Firearms evidence
Financial Evidence
Drugs analysis
CCTV and Imagery
Computer and digital forensics
R v S (2021) - Instructed to defend the principal defendant in a Murder where understanding cross cultural relationships and religious issues was key. The case was particularly unusual as it was necessary to demonstrate and advance the particular challenges faced by couples in cross cultural relationships living within an extended family. It was necessary to ensure the tribunal of fact appreciated and were educated as to the complex factual and cultural matrix and background in which the offence occurred.
R v S (2020) - instructed to defend in a murder trial where the prosecution sought to rely upon a Drill Rap which they alleged amounted to a factually accurate account of events which occurred before and after a fatal stabbing. Press Coverage here.
R v S (2020) - Appeared for the main defendant who was extradited to the UK for Murder. The case involved challenging 9 expert witnesses.
R v T (2020) - Instructed to defend in Decapitation Murder at the Central Criminal Court.
R v P (2020) - Secured acquittals further to written dismissal application for defendant dubbed “The Master Mind” in three multi handed drugs conspiracies involving encrypted telephones (Encrochat).
R v A (2020) - Multi-handed trial following multiple stabbing of 18 year old victim.
R v D (2019) - Represented defendant prosecuted by The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (‘MHRA’).The client was alleged to be one of the ringleaders running a substantial and lucrative drop shipping business, conspiring with others, to import prescription only medicines (POMs), unauthorised medicines and Class C drugs from the Indian subcontinent into the UK, for onward sale across Europe.
R v S (2019) - Defending client alleged to have murdered his wife and two children before leaving the UK. Extradition proceedings resulted in the client being tried 12 years post the date of the offences. The case involved challenging numerous expert reports including; Pathologists, Cell Site, Telephonic, DNA and Fingerprint Experts. The focus of the defence centred around the developments and technologies which improved the sensitivity and informativeness of DNA testing over the 12 years.
R v A (2018) - Appeared for the first defendant in three multi handed drugs conspiracies. The Crown sought to rely on a combination of cell site, digital media, telephone and DNA evidence to secure a conviction against the client. Shortly before the trial the prosecution “cracked” the defendant’s locked iPhone. Following a disclosure request the prosecution made a Public Interest Immunity application. Narita succeeded in excluding evidence obtained from the unlocked phones on the grounds of unfairness to the defendant. As a result of representations made by the defence the Crown offered no evidence against the client. Not Guilty verdicts were entered on all counts.
R v I - Secured an acquittal for client charged with multi-million-pound conspiracy to manufacture, import, export and distribute Anabolic Steroids (Class C drugs). Prosecution agreed to Offer No Evidence against this client alone.
R v R - Following a 4 week trial the client was cleared of his involvement in the murder of 74-year-old jeweller. The prosecution alleged that the deceased was abducted whilst walking home from his jewellery shop on 24th January by the client and 3 other men. The client was the only defendant to be acquitted despite all co-defendants attributing sole responsibility for the murder on him.
R v K - Client was acquitted of sexual assault in a Mayfair night club following the disclosure of vital CCTV evidence. The case gained national press coverage after the police failed to hand over vital security footage until the first day of trial. The footage, which was described as containing ‘nothing of interest’ by police resulted in the acquittal. The Judge ordered an enquiry into the disclosure failures by the CPS and Metropolitan Police. The CPS conceded there had been an ‘unnecessary or improper act or omission’ in respect of the disclosure failure. See press coverage. Narita secured a second rape acquittal for the same client in a later trial.
R v S - Client was one of six defendants from Diego-Garcia, tried on a fourteen-count indictment including allegations of gang rape, sexual activity with a child, sexual exploitation and historic grooming offences. Narita identified significant flaws in the prosecution disclosure exercise and its impact on the integrity of the investigation and trial. This resulted in the prosecution offering no evidence on all counts, prior to the close of the prosecution case.
R v R - Secured a unanimous acquittal for client, who was one of seven defendants tried for Conspiracy to Commit Violent Disorder. Case was prosecuted by Treasury Counsel, due to the sensitive religious, cultural and political aspects.
R v H - Secured the unanimous acquittal of an Assistant Headteacher charged with six sexual offences. The case took over 26 months to complete due to novel and complex legal argument, relating to challenging Computer Expert Evidence. The Court ruled in favour of the defence submissions, which challenged the reliability and means by which the alleged images had been obtained and attributed. The jury acquitted the client of the remaining sexual offence allegation at the retrial.
R v B - Client was acquitted on all counts of human trafficking and sexual exploitation following nine days of cross examination of the complainant, extensive legal argument on disclosure and abuse of process. The Crown offered no evidence when they conceded that evidence existed which significantly undermined the complainant’s account and the disclosure process. Received national media attention because the client’s plight demonstrated the devastating impact prosecutorial negligence can have on the lives of those accused of a crime – the client spent 13 months in custody during which time she gave birth to a son with a genetic disorder. She and her son spent the first five months of his life in prison. The Judge ordered an inquiry. The Judge observed “that there appeared to have been a wholesale failure on the part of the prosecution to deal with disclosure properly”. The judge observed that the defence had made repeated focused requests for disclosure but the court had been fundamentally misled at pre-trial hearings and applications to extend the custody time limits as to the strengths of the case, the CPS’s handling of disclosure and the prosecution’s trial readiness. The CPS and police were criticised by the judge for “serious errors” in their handling of the case stemming from the failure to accurately record and properly review unused material. The Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor gave evidence on oath and accepted the CPS had fallen short in this case and apologised to the Court. He indicated an independent review into the case had been launched and would be provided to the DPP as well as the Court in an effort to identify what went wrong and ensure such mistakes were not repeated. See press coverage.
R v P - Secured a Rape acquittal for an ex-Universal music media mogul.
R v F - Client was the sole defendant acquitted out of sixteen defendants allegedly involved in four shootings in Bedford. Prosecuted by the tri-force collaboration arrangement including Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire, Eastern Region Special Operations Unit, Counter Terror Intelligence Unit and the Regional Organised Crime Unit. Defence succeeded due to deployment of strategic and tactical judgement.
R v L - Client who ran a renowned Holistic Energy Healing Service acquitted of sexual assaults. A series of targeted disclosure requests resulted in obtaining email, WhatsApp and text messages between the complainant, client and other customers which enabled the defence to demonstrate that the complainant was unreliable. The Prosecution conceded that the material resulted in a necessary review of the evidence and later conceding that there was no longer a realistic possibility of conviction.
R v M - Client tried along with eight other defendants charged with a Conspiracy to supply class A drugs (to the value of three million pounds) spanning over two years.
R v M - Client faced a forty-six count Indictment, alleging an array of rapes and sexual offences against two step children. Successful legal argument resulted in the court directing that the counts to be tried be reduced to twenty-four. Detailed written requests for disclosure during the course of the trial resulted in uncovering a witness who had been in contact with all of the witnesses prior to and during the police investigation. Narita demonstrated through cross examination that this witness had contaminated all accounts. Unanimously acquitted on all counts within an hour.
R v M - Conspiracy to supply firearms and ammunition to the UK criminal underworld.
R v B - Instructed to a represent a high profile senior Solicitor in criminal proceedings emanating from civil proceedings in the Family Court. The charges were brought under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. The case was unusually prosecuted by two senior CPS Lawyers and Queen’s Counsel due to the serious and unusual nature of proceedings. Post charge, advised on disciplinary hearings before the SRA and the Office for Supervision. Defence submissions and evidence obtained over the course of a year resulted in the prosecution offering no evidence on all counts. Not guilty verdicts were entered on the first day of trial.
R v B - Instructed to represent a client charged with managing an industrial cannabis factory within a disused mill. Narita’s focused written advocacy challenging the expert evidence resulted in the Crown offering no evidence on the first day of trial.
R v A - Defended in the Aylesbury Child Sex Abuse Trial. Eleven defendants were tried on a fifty-one count Indictment. Further to legal submissions for the client one count was left to the jury to deliberate upon.
Graff Diamond Robbery - Instructed as a leading junior for the fourth defendant in the largest diamond heist in British history [£40 million] at Graff jewellers, London. The case rested on expert evidence of face recognition, APNR and cell site.
R v P - The Crown alleged that the client (aged 21) had attempted to murder the complainant by carrying out a savage and ferocious stabbing and then leaving the complainant for dead. The case was tried before the Resident Judge at Stafford Crown Court. Narita successfully cross-examined twenty eyewitnesses who were present at the time of the alleged stabbing. The jury acquitted client in less than an hour.
Appointments and Memberships
· Contributor to Lincoln’s Inn educational advocacy tutor
· Member of selection panel (Lincoln’s Inn Bar Scholarship Awards)
· Criminal Bar Association member
· South Eastern Circuit member
· Women in Law member
· 2014: Publicity Officer for the Female Fraud Forum
· 2015 – 2019: Female Fraud Lawyers Forum Committee Member
· 2015: Winner of the Excellence in Law Award
· 2014 – 2016: Senior Committee Member of the Society of Asian Lawyers
· 2012 – 2016: Trustee Windsor Fellowship (funded by Prince of Wales Trust)
· 2018 – 2019: Private Prosecutions Association member
· 2017 – 2019: City Sikhs Advisory Board Panel Member
· 2017 – 2019: Advisory Member British Asian Trust (funded by Prince of Wales Trust)
· 2019: Winner of Criminal Lawyer Legal Awards
· 2019: Shortlisted for Women in Law Award – 100 years
· 2019: 1st Queens Counsel to begin the “Lethbridge Gloves” Tradition on Silks Day
· 2020: Winner of Women of Achievement Award
· 2021: Lincoln’s Inn Master of the Bench
Education & Qualifications
· 1997: Mansfield Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn
· 1997: Hardwicke Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn
· 2014: Direct Access qualified
· 2017: Bar Standards Board Dual Qualification (including a certificate to litigate)
· 2017- 2019: Vulnerable Witness Trainer for Criminal Bar Association & Lincoln’s Inn
Languages
· Gujarati
· Hindi
· Punjabi
· Urdu