Criminal Law
We deal with all aspects of Criminal work from police station, Magistrates Court, Crown Court & Appeal. Our experience and service to the clients we represent has proven to be professional and to the highest level. For this reason, we have a significant following of clients Nationally whom we have represented over many years.
We have considerable experience in large and complex cases with unusual features giving us great insight and knowledge.
Areas of work covered under Criminal;
Interviews under caution (police station or Benefits Office)
- Assault
- Theft
- Conspiracy
- Drug offences
- Drug Trafficking
- Public order offences
- Cyber Crime
- Terrorism
- Harassment
- Benefit Fraud
- Fraud and Financial Crime
- Kidnap and false imprisonment
- Murder/Manslaughter
- Racially Aggravated Offences
- Sexual allegations
- Indecent images
- Extradition
- Criminal appeals
Notable cases: (A flavor of the variety of cases we have undertaken – most have had media coverage nationally and internationally)
R -v- MA ✦ arrest for Prepare or Instigate acts of Terrorism & Fake ID – ongoing
R -v- MB ✦ arrest for Rape and sexual assault of a baby – ongoing
R -v- BM ✦ Gang Drug Supplies (County Lines) – Class A drugs
R -v- MM ✦ Attempted to Cause Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) & Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm – forcefully pushing the victim on live train tracks at a tube platform.
R -v- IA ✦ Murder – Gang / Drugs related street knife murder East London.
R -v- IA ✦ Murder – Gang / Drugs related street knife murder East London.
R -v- AA ✦ Possession of knife (Heathrow airport) – client was found to have possession of a Rambo style knife in his hand luggage at Heathrow Airport – on arrest and police interview (without legal representation) client accepted that it was his knife – Acquitted by jury after trial due to a very subtle defence.
R -v- AT ✦ Dangerous Dog Act 1991 – clients dog attacked another dog – Fine
Private Prosecution – ‘Campaign Against Anti-Semitism -v- NA’ – Private prosecution against a vocal advocate for Palestinian Rights at the ‘Al Quds Day’. After investigations by police No Charge by Crown. Private prosecution was instigated on the basis the words used by ‘NA’ caused Alarm and/or Distress to someone of Jewish persuasion. Submissions were made to the Crown to take over the case and discontinue the proceedings which was done. However, Judicial Review proceedings were instigated against the CPS decision not to prosecute, the claim was dismissed.
R -v- KM ✦ Terrorism – preparation to travel abroad for terrorist purposes, namely to travel to Syria.
R -v- PF ✦ Meeting a child following sexual grooming
R -v- MM ✦ Importation of Khat
R -v- TH ✦ Dissemination of A Terrorist Publication x 6
R -v- RB ✦ Firearm sell /transfer / ammunitions – client pleaded guilty – strong submissions received the mandatory 5 years for possession. In light of providing the firearm to another would usually attract a much higher sentence.
R -v- MJ ✦ Murder – in relation to the murder of her girlfriend and body dumped in a lake.
Fire Brigade -v- KR ✦ PACE interview – allegation of stealing large quantity of Electricity
R -v- BG ✦ Actual Bodily Harm (ABH) / Possession of a Bladed Article
R -v- SB & others – Operation Yawler ✦Funding terrorism / committing acts of terrorism / assisting others to commit terrorism – related to the Belgium Terrorist attack 2016 (funding the man in the Hat) & France 2015 – our client acquitted.
R -v- CH & 3 others – Robbery / Fraud / possession of knife ✦ Very complex case of Robbery, following potential victims catching Black Taxis from central London clubs/bars to commit robbery. Involved helicopter surveillance as well as other methods.
R -v- MN – Unlawful Eviction ✦in relation to house renting agency evicting people.
R -v- LD – Rape x 4 & sexual assault & Fraud ✦Pleaded Guilty after submissions & Plea received a very favourable sentence of 7 years
R -v- YB & Others – Terrorism ✦Encourage support for a proscribed organisation – under cover surveillance.
R -v- JK & Others – Operation Grayhead – Terrorism ✦ Engaging in Conduct in Preparation for Terrorist Acts – Intention to attack US military personnel in the UK & intention to travel to join terrorist group
R -v- TH ✦ Dissemination of A Terrorist Publication x 6
R -v- AK & AK & 4 others – Money Laundering / Fraud / false ID ✦ Companies set up with fake ID’s to launder millions of pounds – Both our clients found Not Guilty after trial – all other defendants pleaded or found guilty.
R -v- ZR & Others – Extradition to Italy ✦ Kurdish Islamic group alleged planning international attacks. After legal arguments the extradition warrant withdrawn.
R -v- BA – rape x 2, Assault & Breach of Bail ✦ Acquitted Rape & Assault of wife – Pleaded Guilty for Breach of Bail.
R -v- MA – Terrorism ✦ Commission, preparation and instigation of Terrorism – possession of firearm in Syria s57(1) Act 2000 (possible sentence of 14 years) & 11 counts of Possession of Documents likely to be useful for terrorist purposes – Client acquitted of the main charge after trial.
R -v- NT – Terrorism ✦ Preparation of Terrorist Act / Possession of information x 2 / Possession of False identity documents – Travel to Syria.
R -v- MD ✦ Attempted Rape of / Assault by Penetration / Sexual Assault x 2
R -v- HK & AA – Terrorism ✦providing funds / assistance to terrorists – AA Acquitted & HK received 21 months sentence suspended for 2 years which is unheard of in Terrorism cases.
R -v- SS & 6 others – Fraud Money Laundering ✦ Transferring Criminal Property – sophisticated fraud of funds of deceased persons from Barclays Bank PLC using fake Probate & Will document. Thereby depriving grieving relatives – over £270,000 defrauded with the help of an insider in Barclays Bank.
R -v- MXD – Trafficking / Cruelty to Child / Fraud x 2 ✦ Alleged to have trafficked children from Africa / Somalia with forged documents and mistreatment of children – Acquitted
R -v- 7 defendants – all represented by arani solicitors ✦ Violent Disorder as a Dawah stall
R -v- AA & others represented 5 of 12 defendants – ASBO ✦ challenge to a Gang ASBO for a group in Birmingham – numerous restrictions including not being able to meet each other and exclusion area. Very complex and detailed legal arguments which brought complete success to one client and various success to others on the large number of allegations.
R -v- KB – Terrorism ✦ Collection of information / Dissemination / distribution / publication of Terrorist articles.
R -v- RD & 3 others – Terrorism ✦ intention to join a training camp in Pakistan, in particular Pakistan Taliban.
R -v- AD – Firearms ✦ Possession of Firearms and ammunition
R -v- AS & NH & 7 others – Terrorism ✦ pleaded guilty – indeterminate sentence- Imprisonment for Public Protection with minimum 8 years 10 months.
R -v- GR & another – Armed Robbery ✦ Armed Robbery of a betting shop – Acquitted after trial. Involving complex Legal Arguments as to facial recognition relied on by the Crown.
R -v- GR – Alarm / distress / harassment ✦ in relation to throwing an egg at Baroness Warsi
R -v- HE – Terrorism ✦ Possession of Information likely to be useful to Terrorist, namely INSPIRE (Al Qaida) magazine – How to ‘Make a Bomb in the Kitchen of your Mom’. Very complex case with considerable background material related to Jihad, Survival & training guide and extremist material. Legal arguments and explosive experts used. Acquitted after trial – from knowledge the first person to win a s58 possession charge.
R -v- MS – Counterfeit ✦ Fake goods sold at local markets
R -v- CN & another – Fraud / money laundering ✦ Wrongfully cashing giro cheques at the post office where client was inside man.
R -v- 7 defendants 6 represented by us✦Regarding Luton March against British soldiers – complex legal arguments regarding freedom of speech.
R -v- AJ – Drugs – County lines ✦ gang drug supply chain.
R -v- 8 defendants 3 represented by us ✦ Fraud & Defraud – Operation Borgatti – Organised Criminal Network stealing High Value cars and importing them out of the country.
R -v- MY & 4 others – Fraud by false representations ✦ Staged Car Accidents – to make insurance claims – Acquitted after trial.
R -v- IA & others – Armed Robbery ✦ secure van outside a bank
R (Revenue & Customs) -v- KD – Fraud ✦ large scale ‘Carousel / MTIC Fraud’ (theft of VAT) mobile telephone ✦ sophisticated organised crime gang exploited VAT treated in Multi-jurisdictional trading. The Default companies VAT liability amounted to over £149 million most of which has disappeared overseas.
R -v- MY – Rape ✦ Acquitted of rape after re-trial
Historical Cases
AH – Extradition to USA ✦ Terrorism related ✦ legal arguments regarding the extradition, maximum security prison, special administrative measures (SAMs), rendition, fair trial – matter was heard all the way from the highest court in England to the European Court. This relates to a very controversial extradition treaty between the USA & UK that Blunkett signed in 2003
BA – Extradition to USA – Terrorism related ✦ similar to above
FH -v- City of Westminster Magistrates Court – Judicial Review ✦ in relation to extradition & Habeas Corpse applications – proceedings and European arrest warrants – considered by the House of Lords and European Courts.
R -v- PK – Terrorism – Operation Gamble ✦know better as the ‘Beheading Plot’ – intention to kidnap a soldier of the British Armed Forces and video a beheading. Also providing funds & providing equipment to Terrorist organisations.
R -v- AS & and 14 others – Terrorism – Operation Overt ✦ Transatlantic Airline Plot / liquid explosives on airline that changed the way we travel and security at airports – represented one of the main defendants at trial & re-trial.
R -v- AB & and 4 others – Terrorism ✦s58 offences – conviction quashed at Court of Appeal – complex legal arguments.
R -v- KD & AA and 7 others ✦ Terrorist Training camps in the UK including firearms training.
R -v- IM & RM & YO and 3 others – Terrorism Operation Vivace ✦ better known as the 21/7 attempted bombings of London tube trains and bus. Allegedly a copycat but intended to be more devastating than the 7/7 London bombings. Went to European Court of human Rights.
R -v- FK and 2 others – Terrorism funding ✦ Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Kashmir – our client was acquitted
R -v- DB & ZH & AJ & OR and 4 others – Terrorism Operation Rhyme ✦ also know as the ‘Dirty Bomb Plot’. Planning attacks in New York (NY stock Exchange), Washington (IMF & world bank), London and across Britain. Intention to activate radioactive dirty bomb and blow up buildings, railway stations, trains under the Thames.
R -v- AH – soliciting murder and 14 other counts ✦ very complex case, evidence spanning over many years of public and private speeches made in infamous Abu Hamza. Legal Argument regarding fair trial.
R -v- MS & 4 others – Fraud ✦ large scale counterfeit of documents – Passports, Driving Licence & ID cards in a number of different countries including UK, Spain, Moroccan and other languages for use nationally and international.
R -v- SM – Attempted Murder ✦ allegedly went to the hospital to attempt to finish the job
R -v- MM, MA, AM & 16-year-old ✦ charge with Breaking into Finsbury Park Mosque & criminal damage – All four represented by Arani solicitors – Acquitted
R -v- Suleyman Zain-Ul-Abidin ✦ First person to be charge under the controversial Terrorism Act 2000 after 9/11 (national media) – Acquitted after Trial
Cleric R Ul-Haq & others ✦ firearms and shooting of two people in Birmingham – Release at police station.
R -v- SP ✦A witness who refused to provide evidence on a Murder Case who was then charged with contempt of court.
Abu Hamza & Suleyman Zain-Ul-Abidin in relation to Explanation orders – challenged in the Crown Court – Orders Revoked by the Court
Ms Arani has often provided commentary to the media and oral representations to the Privy Council in relation to Terrorism act.