Anthony Williams

Year of Call: 2012

Inner Temple

Tony joined Central Chambers in April 2018.

Crime

Tony enjoys a busy Crown Court practice and regularly accepts instructions on behalf of both prosecution and defence. Tony deals with cases at all levels across the wide spectrum of criminal law, including:

• Violent offences (ranging from battery to wounding with intent);
• Anti-social behaviour and offences against public order (including civil applications for injunctions and criminal behaviour orders);
• Domestic violence (including assaults, harassment and stalking);
• Drugs offences;
• Protest cases involving the exercise of human rights;
• Sexual offences;
• Dishonesty (including theft, fraud and burglary); and
• Road traffic offences (including applications for exceptional hardship and special reasons).

Tony is best known for his attention to detail, his meticulous preparation skills, and his tenacity as an advocate on behalf of his clients. He has developed a reputation for his technical legal knowledge and is frequently instructed in cases involving complex points of law. He is also recognised for his patience, understanding and sensitivity when dealing with cases involving vulnerable witnesses and defendants.

Regulatory

Tony has previously worked as a paralegal in the General Medical Council’s in-house legal team. As a result, he acquired a detailed understanding of fitness to practise investigations and Medical Practitioners Tribunal proceedings, including Interim Orders Tribunal hearings, MPT Review Hearings and Restoration Hearings. This makes him perfectly suited to represent doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals before their regulatory bodies.

Licensing

Tony has substantial experience of representing taxi drivers and operators before local authority Licensing Panels, Magistrates’ Courts and the Crown Court in relation to licensing appeals and regulatory prosecutions (e.g. plying for hire).

Other Experience

Before starting his career at the Bar, Tony worked as a freelance County Court advocate in civil proceedings, as a debt caseworker at a Citizens Advice Bureau, and as a paralegal in the General Medical Council’s in-house legal team.

Tony therefore brings a wealth of experience with him to the Bar in fields including contract, commercial, debt recovery, housing, insolvency, personal injury, welfare benefits, enforcement proceedings, and costs.

Tony was born and raised in North West Wales and is a fluent Welsh speaker.

To instruct Tony, please contact his clerks.

Memberships and Appointments

• Criminal Bar Association
• Crown Prosecution Service Advocate Panel – Level 2 Prosecutor
• Northern Circuit
• The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple

Education

2011 –2012:       Nottingham Trent University

BPTC – Very Competent

2007 –2010:        Bangor University

LLB Law (Hons) – First Class

Notable Cases

Crime

Operation Dreadnaught (2019-2022)

Being led by Benjamin Knight as junior counsel in a case involving allegations of large-scale international trafficking of Class A drugs.

R v NB (2021)

Defendant faced two counts of harassment causing fear of violence and witness intimidation. The prosecution case was dependent on digital evidence from the complainant’s phone, but police had failed to secure or retain sufficient material. After Tony carefully drafted a defence statement and an abuse of process argument pointing to specific requests for disclosure (with which the complainant refused to co-operate), the Crown were forced to offer no evidence on both counts.

R v SB (2020)

Defendant pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious injury. Tony successfully persuaded the Court to impose a suspended sentence of two years despite all authority pointing to immediate custody.

R v DI (2020) (Court of Appeal)

Successfully appealed against the unlawful terms of a Restraining Order made by the Crown Court.

R v SR (2019)

Successfully defended an anti-fracking activist against an allegation of wilfully obstructing the highway, in a case involving a dispute as to the boundary between the highway and private land.

R v ES (2019)

Defendant charged with s18 wounding with intent and possession of a bladed article (among other allegations). Following Tony’s repeated requests for disclosure, received details of an anonymous call describing the knife being held by the complainant themselves. The Crown were ultimately forced to offer no evidence on the above charges.

R v KK (2019)

Successfully defended client accused of criminal damage to a car based solely on forensic evidence. Blood containing their DNA was found on the headlight, but no DNA found anywhere else on the vehicle and no evidence that the persons responsible were bleeding at the time of committing the offence. Defendant was acquitted.

R v OW (2019) (link to Daily Post)

Defendant pleaded guilty to multiple counts of fraud totalling in excess of £100,000.00. Sentencing guidelines indicated an immediate custodial sentence of 3-4 years. Following mitigation, the Defendant received a 2-year custodial sentence suspended for 2 years.

R v CT (2019)

Defendant accused of threats to kill and two assaults. Complainant did not attend at trial despite the prosecution’s efforts to bring her to court. Tony successfully argued that the Prosecution should not be permitted to rely on body worn footage as res gestae evidence in the complainant’s absence. The Prosecution were forced to offer no evidence and the Defendant was acquitted of all charges.

Regulatory

QF v Trafford Council (2021)

Appeal against revocation of a private hire taxi licence on the basis of historic criminal accusations resurfacing which were never substantiated. Tony successfully appealed the revocation and their licence was restored.

York City Council v AH (2019)

Defendant was a private hire taxi driver accused of unlawfully plying for hire. Informant was a rival hackney carriage driver who had attempted to incite the Defendant into offending. Following Tony’s cross-examination of the informant, he successfully applied to exclude their evidence as having been obtained by entrapment. Prosecution was forced to offer no evidence and Defendant was acquitted.

Salford City Council v CA (2018)

Represented the operator of a local taxi licensing firm before the Licensing Regulatory Panel of Salford City Council. Tony successfully persuaded the Panel that the operator remained a fit and proper person to hold an operator’s licence, allowing the firm to continue its business.

What Tony’s clients say:

Articles by Tony Williams include:

Abuse of Process and the Magistrates’ Court – An Expanded Jurisdiction?

Tony Williams successfully appeals Restraining Order

Coronavirus: The Right to PPE

The Coronavirus: Interim CPS Case Guidance – The Pandemic and the Public Interest

Sentencing for Assaults on Emergency Workers

DNA Evidence and Tsekiri: When is there a case to answer?

Vigilantes and Entrapment

Imprisonment for Council Tax – Criminalising Poverty?

Assaults on Emergency Workers – a practical overview of the new offences and defences

Defeating Res Gestae

Had Enough of Experts?

The Criminal Procedure (Amendment No.2) Rules 2018 – What’s Changing?