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Darren Almeida

Year of call: 2011

VAT No: 284749160 | BSB Registration Click Here

Email: Send Email | Download full CV

Darren joined chambers after spending three years at the employed bar for a specialist firm of solicitors as their in-house advocate. He is known for providing an effective and efficient service for both lay and professional client delivering quality oral and written advocacy.

Areas of Practice

Criminal Defence Experience

Darren accepts instructions for both publicly funded and private clients in the Crown Court and Magistrates’ Court.

Darren has successfully defended at trial numerous clients in the Crown Court, notably for s.18 GBH, violent disorder, robbery, serious drugs offences, knife and offensive weapons, theft in breach of trust (by an employee), racially aggravated offences and fraud. Additionally, he has successfully undertaken appeals to the Crown Court and Court of Appeal.

He is experienced at dealing with sexual offences matters (including possession and distribution of indecent images), kidnap, robbery and drug offences. He also has experience dealing with defendants with mental health issues. He has also worked on murder trials as a junior, including drafting various applications relating to experts and prior authority with the LAA.

Other notable defence work has included conspiracies to import drugs, cases involving multiple defendants and paper heavy cases.

Criminal Prosecution Experience

Darren is a level 2 prosecutor on the CPS list.

Notable prosecutions have included for s.18 GBH with intent, s.20 GBH, multi-handed possession with intent to supply, burglary, possession of offensive weapons and public disorder. Other significant experience encompasses fraud and sexual offences.

Civil Fraud

Advises on cases including personal and corporate insolvency, fraud, misrepresentation, misappropriation, breach of trust, breach of fiduciary duty and money laundering.

Darren also advises on asset recovery, financial tracing, freezing orders, dissipation of funds and restraining orders.

Regulatory

Darren accepts instructions in all areas of regulatory work. He is frequently instructed in regulatory defence matters and prosecutions on behalf of the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and various Local Authorities.

Ecclesiastical law

Darren accepts instructions in cases relating to ecclesiastical law and religious freedom including faculty, employment and clergy discipline, charitable trusts and cases involving the Equality Act and European Convention on Human Rights.

Professional membership

Criminal Bar Association

Ecclesiastical Law Society

Interests

Golf, cricket and rugby

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    Case Profile

    R v LB Woolwich Crown Court 2017 – defended client initially charged as part of multi-million pound international conspiracy to commit fraud. The case involved legal arguments about admissibility of evidence and evidence as rebuttal.

    R v PA Woolwich Crown Court 2017 – Led by QC in attempted murder. Case involved legal arguments regarding European Arrest Warrants, gunshot expert and CCTV evidence.

    R v TA Old Bailey 2017 – During the early stages of murder trial which involved transfer of malice. I was involved in the advice and instructing of expert witness relating to gunshot wounds and pathology. I also drafted S8 applications for further disclosure.

    R v JG Harrow Crown Court 2017 – successfully defended client accused of knife point robbery and assault.

    R v JM Southwark Crown Court 2017 – Successfully defended one of four defendants charged with conspiracy to commit fraud. The case involved over 10,000 pages of served evidence. There were legal arguments about admissibility of telephone evidence.

    R v NA Isleworth Crown Court 2017 – Defended 18 year old charged with Section 20GBH.

    R v LD Isleworth Crown Court 2017 – Successfully defended one of three prisoners charged with S20 GBH and robbery that occurred In HMP Wandsworth.

    R v MH Woolwich Crown Court 2017 – Defended one of nine accused of conspiracy to commit fraud. The case involved over 100,000 of served evidence.

    R v PP Harrow Crown Court 2017 – Defended one of six charged with conspiracy to launder money. The case involved over 100,000 pages of served evidence.

    R v DG Isleworth Crown Court 2017 – defended one of two charged with false imprisonment and assault. Case involved legal arguments about cross admissibility of co-defendant.

    R v UT Southwark Crown Court 2017 – defendant charged with sexual assault and ABH.

    R v DU Chelmsford Crown Court 2017 – defended one of three charged with PWITS class A and B. Case involved defendants two and three running cut throat defences

    R v JD Harrow Crown Court 2016 – successfully defended one of six defendants charged with conspiracy to commit fraud. The case involved over 10,000 pages of served evidence.

    R v DP Isleworth Crown Court 2016 – first defendant in multi-handed aggravated burglary. Defendant was 15 years old at the time of the offence.

    R v OW Kingston Crown Court 2016 – defended one of two defendants charged with ABH road rage. There were legal arguments relating to bad character of the complainant and also admissibility of video recording.

    R v HS Croydon Crown Court 2016 – defended client accused of conspiracy to commit fraud. Case involved over 10,000 pages of evidence. Successful dismissal application.

    R v NB Maidstone Crown Court 2016 – Led in S18 trial involving four defendants. The case involved legal arguments on identification and breaches of PACE during interview and investigation process.

    R v AA Croydon Crown Court 2016 – Secured bail for defendant charged with PWITS and gun offences

    R v EO Luton Crown Court 2016 – Sentencing for defendant charged with bringing drugs and mobile phones in to HMP the Mount. Client received a suspended sentence order.

    R v KJ Isleworth Crown Court 2016 – secured bail after three previously applications for defendant who had spent 19 years on the run after allegations of conspiracy of possession with intent to supply.

    R v DVJ Southwark Crown Court 2015 – Client one of three charged with conspiracy to import class A drugs from colombia (100kg of cocaine). The case involved S2 RIPA evidence including covert recordings and surveillance. Case involved legal arguments on disclosure and severance.

    R v ZP Harrow Crown Court 2015 – Secured bail for defendant charged with attempted murder.

    R v PO Isleworth Crown Court 2015 – Sentencing for client charged with PWITS class B and subsequent proceeds of crime hearing.

    R v FG Blackfriars Crown Court 2015 – Successfully defended a client charged with S20 GBH during a street fight.

    R v KL Southwark Crown Court 2015 – successfully defended one of three defendants charged with stealing motorbikes to order.

    R v DW Old Bailey 2015 – second junior to QC in a murder trial with co-defendants. Case involved CCTV, cell site material and locating defence witnesses outside the jurisdiction. Client was acquitted.