Meyrick Williams

Crime Barrister

Meyrick is an effective jury advocate securing acquittals in long running, complex trials, often against Silks, as leader or junior alone, involving fraud, firearms, forensic, expert and accounting evidence, anonymous witnesses, DNA, Cell-site, covert recordings, intermediaries etc.

He has dealt with heavy weight fraudsters, illegal arms importers / exporters, company directors, HNWIs, sex offenders and those in the public eye.

Meyrick is also at home in the Court of Appeal appearing in matters of sentence, conviction and confiscation.

Meyrick has been effective in beating, reducing or dismissing confiscation and other POCA proceedings or obtaining leave to appeal where orders have been made. He has been successfully doing this since the mid-1990s / CJA 1987 starting with the SFO and everyone else since and in recovery of money seized. He has provided assistance or criminal expertise regarding high profile defendants or cases and in 2012 / 2013 he provided advice and assistance or guidance for an Arab Spring state seeking to recover overseas assets.

Throughout his career at the Bar, Meyrick has also prosecuted in matters of fraud, serious sexual offences, violence and acted in Police disciplinary matters

Notable Cases

• R v E [2021]: “Encro” – supplying Class A, firearms and confiscation
• R v W [2019/2021]: Defending in private prosecution breach of trade marks
• R v M [2019/2021]: Lead defendant in OCG supplying guns and Class A drugs
• R v M [2019/20]. Defending in conspiracy to cause explosions [retrial due Covid 2021]
• R v P [2019] : Blackmail. Lead defendant accused of blackmail international footballer. Acquitted in face of evidence co-accused turned “QE”.
• R v E [2019]: Firearms. Prohibited weapons imported and converted to live firing. Users/converters received sentence 20-30 years. Defended importer of 60-70 such gas firing guns and upon a plea and significant mitigation and agreed BOP of how many could be proved to be convertible, received a SSO.
• R v W [2018]. Defending. Acquitted. Conspiracy to possess firearms to endanger life and transfer.
• R v B [2018]: Class A conspiracy – widespread and significant quantities class A – County Lines.
• D Trust [2017]: Confiscation. Acted for charity as intervener in confiscation to successfully remove charity property from available assets
• R v R [2017]: Defending in attempted murder. Acquitted.
• R v N [2017]: Defended. 3 month trial for long running benefit fraud
• R v G [2017]: Defended. 3 month fraud trial At Southwark – acquitted.
• R v T (2015): Acquittal of “hitman”.
• R v S (Old Bailey, 2015): Prosecuting for “S015”, convicted for fraud [acquitted of terrorist offences at Woolwich].
• R v P (2014 – 2015): Undercover operation, sales / purchase firearms.
• R v W (2013 – 2014): Gang war between brothel owners.
• R v P (2013): Leading junior, 3 month trial: gang dispute escalates to murder; acquitted.
• R v N (Direct Access)(2012): Appeal against confiscation order: breaches of arms embargo to Iran.
• R v N (2011 – 2013): Alleged money laundering proceeds: european wide carbon trading fraud.
• SOCA v S (2011): Cash forfeiture (related to SOCA v Israel Perry).
• R v N (2011): Acquittal of absent lead defendant: trafficking, rape, sexual acts with children.
• R v Goring [2011] EWCA Crim 2: Gang murder.
• R v Mejia [2009] EWCA Crim 1940: Confiscation, importation of cocaine from Panama: dissolved into wooden decorative doors.
• R v Spears & McAllister [2009] EWCA Crim 1875: Pre-Waya: confiscation: argued breach “A1P1”).