Christopher Jeyes
Christopher Jeyes has specialised in criminal law for over 20 years. He has a broad range of experience, prosecuting and representing defendants charged with the most serious of offences. He has been instructed in numerous murder cases, drug importation and supply cases, and those involving serious offences of violence, as well as a number of multi-million pound frauds. He has been instructed as leading junior and junior alone. Chris is known for his skill in efficiently dealing with paper heavy and legally complex cases, and those requiring legal argument. Chris is currently a Grade 3 Prosecutor and is Public Access accredited.
Chris’ legal career has encompassed a wide variety of experience, including the most serious of criminal work, high level appellate advocacy, and complex civil work (both private and public law). He has also worked in niches ranging from international corporate disputes, to aviation law and airport safeguarding.
A Senior Scholar of Gray’s Inn, Chris was Called to the Bar in 2005, having graduated in 1997 with First Class Honours in Politics and Modern History at Brunel University, come top of his year with Distinction on the Postgraduate Diploma in Law at Nottingham Trent University in 2003, and achieved a “Very Competent with Outstanding aspects” grade on the Bar Vocational Course. Chris was also the overall Gray’s Inn mooting champion in 2005 and represented the Inn on its mooting tour of US universities.
As well as the civilian courts, Chris has appeared before the Court Martial, and has an interest in military affairs. In his spare time Chris is an instructor in the Army Cadet Force, and recently raised nearly £2,000 for military charities.
Qualifications
- Called to the Bar 2005
- BSc (Hons) (Brunel University)
Recent Cases
Operation Anaclastics – acting for the first defendant, accused of conspiracy to bring drugs and phones into prison. Taken to trial and acquitted on one drugs count. Arguments about exploitation and manipulation accepted by the Judge and lenient sentence passed.
R v. Welsh – appeal against sentence for dwelling house burglary. Sentence reduced by one third after Court of Appeal accepted that the sentencing Judge had wrongly categorised the offence as Category 1.
R v. Goodwin – Trial, conspiracy to steal, only acquitted defendant
R v. Tindall – Manslaughter by diminished responsibility, suspended sentence
R v. Harvey – Attempted murder
R v. Seville – Operation Umpire 1, drug conspiracy
Inquest re Benn Armitage – Art.2 human rights compliant, issues of neglect
Advisory – e.g. advice on multi-million pound public contract tendering exercise
Naturists – defence of numerous naturists prosecuted for variety of offences from Section 5 to common law public nuisance. Success achieved variously through full trial acquittals, half-time submissions based on human rights arguments, and judicial review applications in respect of prosecution decisions.
Notable Cases
R. v. Thurgarland – sole counsel against a QC prosecuting, murder & fitness to plead. Hospital order with restriction.
Operation Collingsworth – trial, two-handed allegation of murder, as junior counsel.
S. v. The Queen [2013] UKPC 7 – human rights appeal before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council re Guernsey Law. Sole counsel, permission to appeal granted by Lady Hale 30 years out of time. Subsequent application to ECtHR.
Operation Crosscut – conspiracy to steal ATMs.
Court Martial – defending Guardsman re JPA fraud. Sentence by the Board recommended NCO Cadre due to mitigating circumstances & commendations.
Operation Latious – conspiracy to supply Class A. Only defendant who held out for a trial, against Leading Counsel. Prosecution discontinued on the day of trial.
Operation Hauberk – defence in three-handed murder, as junior counsel. Only defendant to be acquitted.
R. v. Frost – junior counsel, led by Tim Spencer QC, complex internet pornography trial. Only defendant to be acquitted. Presented legal arguments before Calvert Smith J.
R. v. Kinsella [2011] EWCA Crim 1275 – successful appeal out of time to the Court of Appeal in a proceeds of crime confiscation case arising from a gang robbery.
R. v. Winter – prosecution for DEFRA re commercial importation of unauthorised veterinary medicines in pigeon racing community & associated POCA proceedings.
R. v. Lasas – junior counsel, led by Tim Spencer QC, for the defence in this multi-handed murder (client acquitted of murder).
R. v. Mitchell [2012] 1 Cr App R (S) 68 (Banks 315.5) – successful appeal against a three-year sentence for theft of railway signalling cable.
R. v. Tyler – successful appeal against a 15-month sentence for handling stolen X5
R. v. Dean – defence of a drunk driver who drove the wrong way up the A1.
Farrington (Trustee in Bankruptcy) v. Clifton – Specialist Chancery list application by Trustee in Bankruptcy for order of sale. Difficult issues of constructive trusts after sale of property in previous bankruptcy proceedings.
R. v. Halliday – for Revenue & Customs. Prosecution of £1M proceeds of crime case.
R. v. Da Silva – death by dangerous driving.
R. v. Williamson – fatal careless driving case. Defence trial against Chief Crown Prosecutor. Refusal by Justices to state a case overturned on judicial review.
R. v. French [2008] 2 Cr. App. R. (S.) 13 – First case on sentencing in unlawful veterinary medication cases (Banks 9th Ed, now 284.2)