Laurence Imrie

Laurence enjoys a reputation within the profession as a fearless advocate who works tirelessly for those he represents. He was a partner at a previous firm before joining Blackfords LLP to focus solely on court advocacy. He is regularly instructed in complex cases involving:

• Fraud
• Serious violence
• Supply of drugs
• Sexual offences

Laurence also has significant experience at dealing with regulatory matters and is often instructed by companies to assist with health and safety proceedings and inquests.

• Notable cases

  Murder and attempted murder

  • R v O – Victoria train station murder trial; a murder case described as the largest in British history. Found not guilty of murder.
  • R v M – Prosecution persuaded to accept pleas to manslaughter instead of murder, resulting in client’s immediate release from custody. Celebrity involvement.
  • R v G – Defendant charged with murder and violent disorder. Found not guilty of both.
  • R v J – First defendant in multi-handed murder trial. Found not guilty of murder.
  • R v S – Multi-handed murder trial. Found not guilty.
  • R v J – Prosecution persuaded to amend charge from attempted murder to wounding with intent.
  • R v K – Prosecution persuaded to accept pleas to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility.
  • R v B – Multi-handed murder trial involving drug related gang violence and firearms.

  Fraud and Confiscation

  • R v S – Operation Silensus. Led junior in 7 week multi-million pound tax and mortgage fraud trial.
  • R v P – Operation Cudgegong. Lengthy multi-handed immigration fraud trial involving Tier 1 Visa system which included in excess of 25,000 pages of evidence.
  • R v T – Led junior in lengthy complex fraud case involving a further allegation of perverting the course of justice.
  • R v S – Led junior in lengthy multi-handed sham marriage trial.
  • R v S – Large scale VAT fraud.
  • R v L – Industrial scale trade mark offences and subsequent confiscation proceedings.
  • R v O – Multi-handed international money laundering conspiracy.
  • Flaherty v City of Westminster Magistrates Court v Crown Prosecution Service [2008] EWHC 2589 (Admin). Reported case of successful Judicial Review concerning substantial delay in enforcement of confiscation proceedings.

  Sexual Offences

  • R v Stilwell [2016] EWCA Crim 1375; Reported case concerning appropriate sentence starting point for arranging or inciting sexual offences. Sentence significantly reduced.
  • R v R – Multiple counts of rape and various historic assaults. Defendant found not guilty on one count and Crown subsequently agreed not to pursue a re-trial on remaining counts.
  • R v R – Rape and attempted murder of vulnerable victim.
  • R v K – Successful defence of defendant charged with rape.
  • R v S – Represented defendant charged with rape. Significant press coverage.

  Miscellaneous

  • R v G – Multi-handed drugs case resulting from long-running undercover police operation.
  • R v C – Production of large quantity of cannabis.
  • R v G – Defendant found not guilty of perverting the course of justice.
  • R v A – Possession of firearms with intent to endanger life.