Overview
Oliver specialises in complex criminal work having acted as both leading counsel and as led junior for both the prosecution and defence in a number of high-profile cases. He also has considerable experience in appellate work.
Crime - Prosecution
Oliver’s prosecution practice encompasses acting as leading counsel in multi-handed prosecutions of serious organised criminal groups with a particular focus on firearms and offences involving widespread disorder and violence.
Oliver is a Grade 4 prosecutor and also on the RASSO list at Grade 4.
Recent cases of note include:
• Leading counsel in six handed case of a conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life. All defendants pleaded guilty or were convicted at trial. The case involved a complex operation involving both Trident and the Essex police;
• Leading counsel in a nine handed violent disorder case arising from a fatality outside a nightclub which led to sentences being imposed of a total of over 30 years for those involved;
• Leading counsel in a successful prosecution of the girlfriend and mother of a convicted murderer for assisting an offender;
• Leading counsel in a large multi-handed escape and violent disorder trial;
• Acting as junior alone in multiple cases of attempted murder;
• Acting as junior alone in multiple cases of causing death by dangerous and careless driving;
• Convictions following trial for a defendant accused of two rapes of two different women, one involving the defendant impersonating another to deceive the complainant under s76(2)(b) SOA 2003;
• Convictions following trial of two defendants for raping the same woman;
• Convictions following trial of historic offences of rape and indecent assault by a father of his daughter and two step-daughters;
Crime - Defence
Oliver’s defence practice encompasses acting in a wide spectrum of cases involving murder, terrorism, violence and sexual offences.
Recent cases of note include:
• Led junior in a three handed murder case involving a fatal stabbing in Brixton. The defendant was acquitted of murder and all other counts he faced.
• Acting as junior alone in a multi-handed conspiracy to murder;
• The successful defence of a driver accused of importing £12 million pounds worth of cocaine through the Eurotunnel;
• Led junior in a baby-shaking murder; client acquitted of murder.
• Acting as led junior in the defence of a 14-year old female accused of murdering her mother’s partner which also involved successfully resisting an appeal by the Attorney-General against her manslaughter sentence;
• Acting alone in cases involving both the encouragement of terrorism and the dissemination of terrorist publications by defendants on both the far-right and far-left of the political spectrum.
Select Reported Appeal Cases [acting for the defence]:
• R v BAZ [2022] EWCA Crim 940, [2002] W.L.R.100, [2022] Crim L.R. 929. Defence against an AG-Ref dealing with the issue of retained responsibility in manslaughter cases.
• R v Spouse [2020] EWCA Crim 1906, [2020] 9 WLUK 527. Sentence reduced on appeal from 8 years to 5 years imprisonment for a s.18 stabbing.
• R v KW [2018]. Defendant’s convictions for serious sexual offences overturned on appeal on basis that the judge had erred in summing-up in his first trial that all counts against the defendant must stand or fall together. Oliver had not conducted the first trial but became involved when instructed to see if any grounds of appeal may exist post-conviction. The Court of Appeal ordered a re-trial. The defendant, represented by Oliver, was then acquitted of all counts at his re-trial.
• R v Laurence [2017] EWCA Crim 2231, [2017] 12 WLUK 211 Cold case appeal. Sentence reduced on grounds of disparity with co-accused.
• R v Newton [2017] EWCA Crim 874, [2017] 2 Cr.App.R.(S). 41. Cold case appeal. Sentence reduced for a serious sexual offence.
• R v Riat [2012] EWCA Crim 1509, [2103] Cr.App.R. 2, [2013] 1 Crim L.R. 60. Conviction overturned on appeal. The case is a leading authority on hearsay.
• R v Trott [2011] EWCA Crimn 2395, [2011] 175 J.P. 458. Restraining order on acquittal overturned on appeal. Case is an important authority in this area.
• R v Stannard [2008] EWCA Crim 2789, [2009] 2 Cr.App.R.(S). 21 Important authority on sentencing of offences spanning the coming into force of the Criminal Justice Act 2003.
Inquests & Public Inquiries
Over the years, Oliver has been instructed to appear at coroner’s inquests across the country, most often on behalf of families of the deceased but also on behalf of other interested parties. Oliver has conducted inquests both with and without the involvement of a jury.
Inquests of note:
• Case of H – Case involving the representation of a doctor at a large-scale inquest involving issues relating to the policy and procedure of the insertion of naso-gastric tubes during treatment of patients.
• Case of NI – Case involving a High Court action brought to secure the body of the deceased to be released to a particular family member.
• Case of EC – Inquest involving the representation of a family whose daughter had died after fainting during a mammogram procedure.
Regulatory law
Oliver has particular experience in cases involving the representation of individuals and companies prosecuted by Trading Standards and the Health and Safety Executive. Many of these cases are matters on which he has been instructed on a direct access basis.
Television & Radio Work
Oliver has acted as a legal adviser to variety of television programmes over the years. Some of them haven’t been entirely awful. He has also appeared on radio as an expert commentator on criminal legal matters.
Direct Access qualified
Oliver is direct access qualified.
News
Oliver Weetch and Josh Happé conclude successful prosecution of six-handed case of conspiracy to possess firearms and pervert the course of justice.
The case involved a complex investigation jointly run between the Serious & Organised Crime Unit at Essex Police and Trident within the Metropolitan Police...
Oliver Weetch’s client acquitted of murder
Oliver Weetch, led by Jenni Dempster KC, was instructed by Paul Macauley at Macauley Smith & Co to represent a fifteen year old accused...
Oliver Weetch and Laura Hollingbery secure convictions of girlfriend and mother for assisting a convicted murderer
Both the girlfriend and mother of a male previously convicted of murder by using his car as a weapon to run over a group...
Man acquitted of importing 12 million pounds of cocaine and heroin into the UK – Oliver Weetch defends
Oliver Weetch, instructed by GT Stewart Solicitors, defended MV who along with another defendant was charged with importing over 200kg of cocaine and heroin...
3 years after being convicted of multiple rape counts, Oliver Weetch’s client is acquitted at his re-trial after the Court of Appeal overturn all of his convictions
In 2015, the client was convicted after trial of multiple counts of rape of a child under 13 and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment....
Oliver Weetch and Helen Easterbrook start large scale conspiracy case to traffic and control prostitutes
Oliver Weetch, leading Helen Easterbrook, has begun defending a client who along with seven others is on trial at Wood Green Crown Court accused...
Crime Team
crime@2kbw.com
+44 20 7353 1746