Criminal law cases

• Acquittal for client charged with serious assault. This case involved Ian cross-examining a key Crown (informant) witness - May 2023.
• Negotiated significant factual concessions from the Crown in relation to high profile fraud case – 2021 to 2023.
• Recently acted for alleged high-ranking member of international drug importation and distribution cartel. Auckland High Court 2021 - 2023. 
• Defending mother charged with murder of her infant son in 2022 – R v X (client has name suppression). Auckland High Court: 2023.
• Ian led the defence of Jesse Kempson in the very high-profile murder case involving the death of British backpacker Grace Millane. Auckland High Court: 2018-2019. 
• Acquittal (all charges) of defendant charged with money laundering of hundreds of thousands of dollars following jury trial. Auckland District Court 2022. 
• Acquittal (all charges) of defendant charged with serious violence charges following street brawl in central Auckland. Auckland District Court – 2021. 
• Negotiating resolution package with the Crown that led to the dismissal of rape charges (two complainants) against client. Auckland District Court – 2022.
• Securing a dismissal of charge at jury trial for client facing engenderment of transport charge (Police Eagle helicopter). Auckland District Court – 2021. 
• Hung jury trial in Rotorua for Arson – 2021. 
  

Discharge without conviction

• Securing discharge without convictions for the following clients in 2021 - 2023: 
• Drink driving charge for young employee of big consultancy firm – 2023. 
• Successful appeal for drink driving and dangerous driving charges – client sped through booze bus checkpoint and was eventually caught by Police - 2021. 
• Drink driving charge for sports coach in 2022. 
• Drink driving charge for charity worker in 2022. 
• Serious violence charge involving assault of security staff by client and his friend. 2022. 
• Careless driving causing injury. Auckland District Court 2021 and 2022. 
  
• Represented a defendant charged with sexual offences against his stepdaughter. Ian secured from the Police and Crown disclosure of material that resulted in the case being discontinued by the Crown – 2019. 
• Secured a discharge without conviction for young man who assaulted his neighbours while experienced drug induced psychosis. 2019. 
  

In addition to the regulatory work that Ian and his team does, Ian also assists clients facing criminal charges with proceeds of crime matters brought under the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery) Act 2009. 

This arises where, usually in tandem with an arrest and execution of a search warrant against a client, the Police seize property under the relevant act. 

These matters are dealt with by the High Court and, due to the ‘draconian’ nature of the legislation, will often be unfair to the client and/or other affected persons. 

Where such matters arise, Ian and his team can look after both the criminal case and the civil proceeds case. This ensures consistency in approach across both cases and also guards against the duplication in fees that would be involved with two separate lawyers.