Niall Skinner
Year of Call: 2001
Areas Of Specialism
Drugs & Gang-Related Offences, Financial crime, Firearms, Murder & Manslaughter, Offences Against the Person, Sexual Offences
Career overview
Called to the Bar in 2001 and undertook pupillage at King’s Bench Walk Chambers. After several years in independent practice, joined a national law firm as an employed advocate and in that role conducted a wide variety of criminal cases at all levels. Returned to the independent Bar at Citadel Chambers in 2015.
Practice Summary
Established criminal practitioner instructed across the entire spectrum of serious crime at Crown Court and appellate level.
Details of practice
Predominantly instructed to defend those charged with homicide, large scale drug importation, street violence and gang related offending. Has significant experience in cases concerning alleged offences of rape and other serious sexual offences involving both adults and children, including ‘historic’ allegations. Undertakes all types of fraud cases: white collar crime, identity fraud and deception, benefit fraud. Experienced in dealing with cases involving defendants or witnesses who are vulnerable by reason of youth, learning disability or mental health issues.
Drugs & Gang-Related Offences
- Represented one of a number of defendants charged with a conspiracy to assist the escape of a Category A prisoner from HMP Hewell.
- Large scale importation of cannabis through Dover via articulated lorry.
- Conspiracy to steal high performance motor vehicles from luxury car retailers.
- A group of people charged with election fraud.
- A multi-defendant case concerning car clampers acting illegally.
Financial crime
- Importation of heroin valued at £2 million, through a bogus on-line postal company.
Firearms
- Conspiracy to acquire and distribute firearms.
Sexual offences
- ‘Historic’ case, a defendant accused of raping his three daughters and two sons.
- A trial of a ‘stranger rape’ in a Birmingham park.
- A female teacher at a boarding school who faced charges in relation to inappropriate relationships with pupils.
Murder and Manslaughter
- Junior Counsel in a trial of two men charged with murder, allegedly the execution of a member of a rival drug gang.
- The trial of a ‘street murder’- both the victim and the defendant were homeless and living on the streets.
- Attempted murder following serious violence in a nightclub.
Other notable cases
- A serving prisoner charged with racially abusing prison guards.
- Multiple defendants charged with kidnap, false imprisonment and blackmail.
- Prisoners facing allegations of ‘kettling’ other inmates.
- Conspiracy to burgle vulnerable residents in a care home for the elderly.
- A case of domestic abuse involving violence and harassment via social media.
- An aggravated burglary where the homeowner was beaten and stabbed.
- Represented an 11 year old boy charged with robbery and inflicting grievous bodily harm.
- A large scale disorder involving a fight at a Sudanese political rally.
- Represented a group of football supporters charged with violent disorder following a Premiership local derby game.