Overview of Practice

Prior to taking silk, Nicholas prosecuted the most serious and complex criminal cases, almost exclusively as Leading Junior. He was a Level 4 prosecutor and was a member of the CPS Rape and Serious Sexual Offences, Serious Crime and Counter-Terrorism Panels. He received instructions in relation to investigations conducted by the NCA, the Metropolitan Police Serious Crime Directorate, the Flying Squad and other specialist units. He has received similar instructions as a KC.

His recent cases include conspiracies to import huge quantities of Class A drugs, attempted murders, firearms offences, armed robberies, sophisticated conspiracies to steal high value motor vehicles and very serious sexual offending. Several attracted substantial media attention, including those involving well-known celebrities. Police officers regularly request that he is instructed on subsequent cases due to his ability to condense detail and to tease out and emphasise salient aspects in complicated, data-driven prosecutions.

Before developing these areas of practice, Nicholas regularly appeared for the Defence in similar cases as sole Counsel, including allegations of murder, attempted murder, blackmail, robberies with firearms, conspiracies to supply Class A drugs and serious sexual offending. He regularly appeared in the Court of Appeal, successfully appealing against conviction and sentence. Due to the quality of his arguments, the Registrar instructed him to represent previously unrepresented Defendants who had been granted leave to appeal.

He has particular expertise in the examination and cross-examination of expert and vulnerable witnesses and has conducted confiscation proceedings involving figures in excess of one million pounds.