Paul Sharkey
Specialises in serious and complex cases of fraud, corruption, money laundering,
the importation and supply of drugs, regulatory offences and confiscation proceedings.
Paul Sharkey
Specialises in serious and complex cases of fraud, corruption, money laundering, the importation and supply of drugs, regulatory offences and confiscation proceedings.
YEAR OF CALL 2000
Education
LLB (Hons)
M.Sc. Criminology
Appointments
Recorder of the Crown Court (appointed 2019)
Deputy District Judge (appointed 2019)
CPS Specialist Fraud Panel – Level 4
CPS Serious Crime Group Panel – Level 4
CPS Advocate Panel – Level 4
Memberships
South Eastern Circuit, Criminal Bar Association, Fraud Lawyers Association
Overview of Practice
Paul Sharkey is a highly experienced advocate specialising in serious and complex cases of fraud, corruption, money laundering, murder and serious violence, the importation and supply of drugs, regulatory offences and confiscation proceedings.
Paul also acts as independent counsel to advise upon legal professional privilege in relation to material seized by police and prosecution authorities.
Practice Areas
Paul is highly skilled at dealing with cases involving a significant amount of documentary, financial and expert evidence, and at presenting difficult cases to juries, including through the use of the electronic presentation of evidence.
He is a member of the CPS Specialist Fraud Panel (Grade 4) and is regularly instructed to provide advice pre-charge in difficult and complex cases.
Recent cases include:
R v Ghaffar (2024) – Leading counsel in prosecution of for conspiracy fraudulently to claim £1.8m in legal costs.
Operation Centrum (2022 – 2024) – Prosecution of nine defendants for involvement in £25m alcohol diversion and VAT fraud.
Operation Grapevine (2022) – Leading counsel in prosecution of seven defendants for involvement in £13m boiler room investment fraud.
Operation Larkspur (2019 – 2022) – Prosecution of nine defendants for involvement in fraudulent claims for legal costs of over £10m by barristers and solicitors.
Operation Smitten (2018 – 2019) – Leading counsel in prosecution of nine defendants in large-scale fraud against HMRC.
Operation Octopod – Investment fraud linked to land banking scheme.
R v Tappuni – Corruption by medical expert advising The World Bank in procurement process.
R v Mote – Expenses fraud by former MEP.
Operation Aquamarine – Large-scale mortgage fraud against Barclays.
Operation Kilbirnie – Prosecution related to boiler room fraud.
Paul prosecutes and defends in a wide range of criminal offences, with particular specialisms in cases of murder, fraud, money laundering, drugs offences and confiscation proceedings. He is regularly instructed by the CPS Organised Crime Division.
Paul has prosecuted and defended in cases of murder, serious violence, large-scale conspiracies to steal high-value motor vehicles, and numerous cases involving the large-scale importation and supply of drugs.
Paul has extensive experience of presenting complex forensic evidence to juries, and in dealing with with difficult disclosure, PII and RIPA issues in such cases. He is familiar with the range of evidential tools often deployed: telephone evidence (cell-site, phone billing, phone interrogation), observation evidence, tachograph evidence, drug valuation evidence, other forensic evidence and evidence obtained through co-operation with foreign jurisdictions through mutual assistance and Letters of Request.
Recent cases include:
R v Delap & others (2024) – Prosecution of protestors who mounted gantries over the M25 causing widespread disruption.
R v Apelgren (2023) – Prosecution of cold case murder dating back to 1970s.
R v P & others (2023) – Prosecution of defendants for conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life in relation to revenge shooting.
R v Glynne & others (2023) – Conspiracy to burgle ATM from shop.
Operation Biosocial – Conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
R v Robinson – Supply of cocaine and money laundering.
Operation Jammed – Money laundering by bureau de change.
R v McCarthy – Heroin importation.
Paul Sharkey has prosecuted and defended numerous substantive confiscation hearings, in particular following on from convictions for fraud and drugs offences. He has extensive knowledge of confiscation legislation both under the former regime of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and the current Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
WCC v Saddiq (2016) – Prosecution under Housing Act for breach of enforcement notices.
RBKC v Sachedeva (2014) – Prosecution of company and director for possession of counterfeit goods and breaches of consumer safety regulations.
WCC v Nero Holdings Ltd (2014) – Prosecution of company for breaches of street trading regulations.
WCC v Pro Elite (2014) – Prosecution of company for offences under Trade Marks Act 1994.
WCC v Tesco (2013) – Prosecution of supermarket for breaches of Food Hygiene Regulations.
WCC v Addison Lee (2011 – 2012) – Prosecution of taxi company for offences under Town and Country Planning Act relating to unlawful advertising and subsequent appeal to High Court.
Paul has also acted for the Department for Business Innovation and Skills for prosecutions under the Insolvency Act and Company Directors Disqualification Act.
Notable Cases
R v John Apelgren (Central Criminal Court, 2023) – Prosecution of cold case murder following identification of defendant through DNA.
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R v Pierini & Razaq (Court of Appeal, 2023) – Appeals against conviction based on refusal to allow absconding defendant to give evidence from abroad and alleged wrongful admission of bad character evidence following convictions for money laundering (proceeds of a boiler room fraud).
R v Tanveer & others Operation Grapevine (Southwark Crown Court, 2022) – Leading counsel in prosecution of seven defendants for involvement in £13m boiler room investment fraud.
Operation Smitten (2017 – 2019) – Leading counsel in prosecution of eight defendants in large-scale fraud against HMRC.
R v Tappuni (2017) – Corruption by medical expert advising The World Bank in procurement process.
Operation Biosocial (2017) – Conspiracy to supply cocaine.
R v Canavan (2016) – Fraud by abuse of position. Hotel Manager defrauded hotel in false invoice scam.
Operation Aquamarine (2012 – 2016) – Large-scale mortgage fraud against Barclays.
Operation Kilbirnie (2015 – 2017) – Prosecution related to boiler room fraud.
R v Davies (2015 – 2017) – Prosecution of serial fraudster/conman who targeted distressed companies and fleeced them of remaining assets.
R v Mote (2015 – 2016) – Prosecution of former MEP for expenses fraud.
Operation Empyrean (2014 – 2016) – Prosecution of large-scale VAT. repayment fraud.
Operation Acid Rain (2014) – Prosecution of tax credit fraud relating to abuse of CIS scheme by directors of building companies.
Operation Duma (2012 – 2015) – Confiscation proceedings arising out of MTIC VAT carousel fraud and subsequent appeal R v Chahal [2015] EWCA Crim 816.
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Op Jammed (2014) – Prosecution for money laundering.
R v McCarthy (2011 – 2013) – Heroin importation.
Operation Fastback (2011 – 2013) – Prosecution of eight-handed £330m VAT carousel fraud and relating confiscation proceedings.
Operation Callous (2010 – 2012) – prosecution of accountant and others for involvement in £2.5m VAT repayment fraud.
NEWS STORIES
Paul Sharkey and Edward Gordon-Saker prosecute Just Stop Oil protestors jailed for M25 protest
FCsewAmi9bell2024-08-06T05:58:42+00:00August 2nd, 2024|
Members of Foundry Chambers prosecute high profile legal costs fraud
FCsewAmi9bell2024-02-23T09:42:40+00:00February 23rd, 2024|
Alexandra Healy KC and Paul Sharkey prosecute cold case killing
FCsewAmi9bell2023-11-07T13:02:38+00:00June 22nd, 2023|
Paul Sharkey leading Ben Edwards: Convictions in boiler room fraud.
FCsewAmi9bell2023-11-07T21:47:16+00:00April 28th, 2022|
Paul Sharkey appointed as a Recorder
FCsewAmi9bell2023-11-08T21:10:48+00:00September 9th, 2019|
Paul Sharkey appointed as Deputy District Judge
FCsewAmi9bell2023-11-08T22:08:22+00:00March 29th, 2019|
Foundry Chambers hosts Criminal Litigation Update for London Borough Legal Alliance
FCsewAmi9bell2023-11-08T22:50:27+00:00June 14th, 2018|
Paul Sharkey and James Jackson secure convictions in £2m VAT fraud
FCsewAmi9bell2023-11-08T23:15:35+00:00December 13th, 2017|