R v A and Ors, MTIC VAT fraud
2003 – 2005
120 million lost on computer chips
Ian Bridge is a member of the Business & Property, Crime and Regulatory groups here at No5.
Ian Bridge is a member of the Business & Property Group. Click to view his specialist areas
Ian Bridge has substantial experience in regulatory enforcement.
He has been on the Attorney Generals A list of counsel for many years authorised to handle the most serious cases. He appears for and against individuals and companies being prosecuted by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, The Health and Safety Executive, The Environment Agency other Relevant Agencies.
He has substantial experience in regulatory crime and is an expert in the criminal liability of company officers.
He is an expert in both financial and non-financial regulatory enforcement.
He has acted in a number of cases where allegations of breaches of the Financial Services and Markets Act 200 have been pursued.
He has acted in a number of cases involving death and serious injuries where company officers have faced manslaughter and health and safety allegations. He is regularly instructed by companies and individuals facing Health and Safety investigations. He regularly prosecutes, defends and appears at inquests.
He is instructed by multinational corporations for advice on wide ranging regulatory topics ranging from the application of the general product safety regulations to the reach provisions covering the use of dangerous chemicals
He has advised corporations as to the impact of Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 re the extension of the jurisdiction of UK authorities to prosecute corruption offences. Such matters are now covered by the groundbreaking Bribery Act 2010. He has conducted seminars amd lectures to multinational clients and foreign government representatives on the Bribery Act 2010.
Ian welcomes direct instructions from clients whether through in house lawyers or directors without legal qualification.
Ian Bridge works from both our London and Birmingham Chambers. He has a nationwide practice regularly appearing in courts throughout the country. He has been instructed in numerous high profile cases over the last 15 years.
Fraud – Duty Evasion – Ian was at the heart of the London City Bond litigation at first instance and as leading counsel in the Court of Appeal on behalf of John Early R v Early and Ors [2002] EWCA Crim 1904. He also represented the main Defendant in what was at the time the largest cigarette smuggling case to have been brought to trial. R v Horne.
VAT fraud – Ian has defended in a number of high profile MTIC fraud cases from the earliest prosecutions through to date. He was instructed in Operation Vitric. He is familiar with the full historical development of the MTIC fraud problem over the last 10 years. He is instructed in the first tier tax tribunal on VAT cases and has appeared in the High Court in linked civil claims brought against directors. Ian has also been instructed in VAT frauds in the building and textiles industries.
Landfill Tax fraud – Ian successfully represented one of the SFO prosecuted Defendants in R v Sampson and Ors [2007] EWCA Crim 1238.
Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) fraud – Ian represented one of the Defendants in Operation Digit at the Blackfriars Crown Court – one of a number of high profile CIS fraud cases
Corporation Tax Fraud – Ian successfully represented Tim Hill who faced a multi-million pound allegation of fraud relating to the activities of Payroll Company Safe Solutions Accounting Services Limited.
Electoral fraud – Ian was instructed in the prosecutions following local elections in the London Borough of Hackney and in Burnley, Lancashire
Serious Fraud Office Prosecutions – Ian was instructed in R v Smith and Ors the Izodia plc reverse takeover fraud. He was also instructed in R v Sykes and Ors the Cheney pension fund fraud
Investment fraud – On a number of occasions Ian has acted on behalf of those charged with fraud flowing from high yield investment schemes and boiler room investment schemes
Mail Dumping – Ian acted in what was described at the time as the biggest ever mail dumping fraud.
Money Laundering – Ian has advised and appeared in a number of high profile money laundering prosecutions acting on behalf of couriers, businesses and individual professionals.
Ian has appeared in many of the leading money laundering cases prosecuted in recent years. He successfully represented one of the principle Defendants in R v Dakers and Ors at the Kingston Crown Court. He appeared at first instance in R v Malik and Ors. He subsequently represented Malik, Ramzan and others [2006] EWCA Crim 1974 in the Court of Appeal and Ramzan on retrial. Ian was instructed on behalf of one of the co-defendants in the groundbreaking case of R v Montilla [2004] UKHL 50.
He successfully appealed the historic conviction of Mr El Kurd [2007] EWCA Crim 1888 on a reference by the CCRC (which led to a change in the law regarding the reference of historic cases by the CCRC). Mr El Kurd was acquitted on retrial. Most recently Ian Bridge was instructed in the appeal of R v Anwoir and Ors in the confiscation proceedings and in the Court of Appeal.
Accidental Death Cases – Health and Safety and Road Traffic.
Ian is regularly instructed in criminal cases in which death or serious injury is alleged to have arisen by reason of carelessness or recklessness.
He has appeared for Defendant’s facing manslaughter allegations following deaths on building sites. He is regularly instructed in fatal and serous injury health and safety prosecutions. The cases in which he has been instructed cover the full range of work place environments including mines and quarries, warehousing, schools, building sites and farms.
Ian has a particular expertise in serious and fatal road traffic accidents. He is regularly instructed on behalf of those facing allegations that they caused death driving carelessly and dangerously. He has advised in a number of cases where diabetes is alleged to have been a relevant factor.
Crime – Ian has appeared in numerous criminal cases including murder, drug dealing/importing conspiracies, Firearms offences and other substantial criminal cases.
Regulatory – Ian has a particular interest in criminal copyright issues and other regulatory criminal offences. He successfully defended one of the two charged with copyright offences flowing from the operation of the TV-Links web site.
Proceeds of Crime – Ian is regularly instructed in confiscation and other related POCA proceedings.
Ian Bridge works from both our London and Birmingham Chambers. He has a nationwide practice regularly appearing in courts throughout the country. He has been instructed in numerous high profile cases over the last 15 years.
Fraud – Duty Evasion – Ian was at the heart of the London City Bond litigation at first instance and as leading counsel in the Court of Appeal on behalf of John Early R v Early and Ors [2002] EWCA Crim 1904. He also represented the main Defendant in what was at the time the largest cigarette smuggling case to have been brought to trial. R v Horne.
VAT fraud – Ian has defended in a number of high profile MTIC fraud cases from the earliest prosecutions through to date. He was instructed in Operation Vitric. He is familiar with the full historical development of the MTIC fraud problem over the last 10 years. He is instructed in the first tier tax tribunal on VAT cases and has appeared in the High Court in linked civil claims brought against directors. Ian has also been instructed in VAT frauds in the building and textiles industries.
Landfill Tax fraud – Ian successfully represented one of the SFO prosecuted Defendants in R v Sampson and Ors [2007] EWCA Crim 1238.
Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) fraud – Ian represented one of the Defendants in Operation Digit at the Blackfriars Crown Court – one of a number of high profile CIS fraud cases
Corporation Tax Fraud – Ian successfully represented Tim Hill who faced a multi-million pound allegetion of fraud relating to the activities of Payroll Company Safe Solutions Accounting Services Limited.
Electoral fraud – Ian was instructed in the prosecutions following local elections in the London Borough of Hackney and in Burnley, Lancashire
Serious Fraud Office Prosecutions – Ian was instructed in R v Smith and Ors the Izodia plc reverse takeover fraud. He was also instructed in R v Sykes and Ors the Cheney pension fund fraud
Investment fraud – On a number of occasions Ian has acted on behalf of those charged with fraud flowing from high yield investment schemes and boiler room investment schemes
Mail Dumping – Ian acted in what was described at the time as the biggest ever mail dumping fraud.
Money Laundering – Ian has advised and appeared in a number of high profile money laundering prosecutions acting on behalf of couriers, businesses and individual professionals.
Ian has appeared in many of the leading money laundering cases prosecuted in recent years. He successfully represented one of the principle Defendants in R v Dakers and Ors at the Kingston Crown Court. He appeared at first instance in R v Malik and Ors. He subsequently represented Malik, Ramzan and others [2006] EWCA Crim 1974 in the Court of Appeal and Ramzan on retrial. Ian was instructed on behalf of one of the co-defendants in the groundbreaking case of R v Montilla [2004] UKHL 50,
He successfully appealed the historic conviction of Mr El Kurd [2007] EWCA Crim 1888 on a reference by the CCRC (which led to a change in the law regarding the reference of historic cases by the CCRC). Mr El Kurd was acquitted on retrial. Most recently Ian Bridge was instructed in the appeal of R v Anwoir and Ors in the confiscation proceedings and in the Court of Appeal.
Accidental Death Cases – Health and Safety and Road Traffic.
Ian is regularly instructed in criminal cases in which death or serious injury is alleged to have arisen by reason of carelessness or recklessness.
He has appeared for Defendant’s facing manslaughter allegations following deaths on building sites. He is regularly instructed in fatal and serous injury health and safety prosecutions. The cases in which he has been instructed cover the full range of work place environments including mines and quarries, warehousing, schools, building sites and farms.
Ian has a particular expertise in serious and fatal road traffic accidents. He is regularly instructed on behalf of those facing allegations that they caused death driving carelessly and dangerously. He has advised in a number of cases where diabetes is alleged to have been a relevant factor.
Crime – Ian has appeared in numerous criminal cases including murder, drug dealing/importing conspiracies, Firearms offences and other substantial criminal cases.
Regulatory – Ian has a particular interest in criminal copyright issues and other regulatory criminal offences. He successfully defended one of the two charged with copyright offences flowing from the operation of the TV-Links web site.
Proceeds of Crime – Ian is regularly instructed in confiscation and other related POCA proceedings.
2003 – 2005
120 million lost on computer chips
2002 – 2005
Major money laundering conspiracy
2005
Multi million pound fraud on the Royal Mail by private mail consolidators
2005
Multi million pound money laundering trial via bureaux de change
2005
Serious Fraud Office prosecution reverse takeover fraud
Appeal against conviction
Appeal against conviction
2006
Conspiracy to cheat duty evasion
2006
Boiler house share dealing fraud
2006
Gross negligence manslaugter
2006
Electoral fraud.
2007
Operation Barbatus misfeasance in public office – the Jimmy Choos case
2007
Operation Capri – MTIC fraud and money laundering at Northampton Crown Court
2008
Substantial fraud involving fraudulent applications for heavy goods vehicle operator licences
2008
Operation Digit – very substantial payroll fraud
2009
payroll tax fraud
2009
substantial long firm fraud
2009
Substantial bureau de change money laundering conspiracy
2009
Substantial conspiracy to import drugs involving undercover officer
2010
Operation Duma – substantial MTIC fraud
Ian is a leading barrister who has experience at the highest level in a wide range of work. His work spans personal injury, industrial disease and clinical negligence and serious financial crime, civil VAT litigation and regulatory crime. His regulatory criminal practice is focussed on health and safety and on road traffic incidents involving death and serious injury. He is regularly instructed to appear on behalf of interested parties at coroners inquests into deaths at work and in road traffic incidents. Ian has recently been instructed in a number of cases where bereaved families have sought explanations for the death of their loved ones in care homes and hospitals. Ian has appeared in a number of inquests on behalf of corporate subcontractors whose obligations under PFI contracts have meant that they have become interested parties at inquest.
Inquest into the death of Doreen Arberry – Peterborough Coroners Court
Inquest into the death of Lee Wright – Birmingham Coroners Court
Inquest into the deaths of Irene Wilton and Trevor Wickes
Inquest into the death of Steven Perry
Inquest into the death of Stanley Draper
Inquest into the death of Bryan Gutteridge
Inquest into the death of James Howat
Called in 1988 Ian has been a barrister for more than 30 years. He does leading and junior work regularly co-defending alongside and prosecuting Queens Counsel. He undertakes direct access work and is available for initial consultation by arrangement with his clerk Chris Norman on 0117 917 8500.
He is a specialist in the following areas of work.
Motor Crime & Motor Regulatory
Ian defends drivers facing prosecution following fatal and serious injury traffic incidents. Over the course of the last 5 years he has been instructed by specialist firms in more than 100 such cases. He has been instructed on behalf of a number of prominent individuals. He has appeared in courts across the country including the Court of Appeal. He is “on panel” for major insurers.
He has acted on behalf of a large number of commercial vehicle drivers involved in incidents often arising as a result of blind spots concealing pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.
He has acted in a number of cases where dangerous condition is alleged.
Amongst numerous others he represented the acquitted driver in the Bath Tipper disaster and the driver in the M20 Bridge Strike
He is familiar with “type approval”, design and vehicle recall issues.
He has acted in numerous cases where the Defendant driver’s health has been an issue. He has experience inter alia of cases involving sleep apnoea/sleepiness, syncope, epilepsy and diabetes (hypoglycaemia). The insanity/automatism defence with its attendant difficult law has arisen in a number of his cases.
He has acted in a number of multiple cause cases and has successfully defended drivers whose driving although questionable did not “cause” the death including so called “but for” cases, cases where the death followed a collision, but the injuries sustained cannot be proven to be a contributory cause and cases where there is an unforeseeable intervening cause.
He has acted in high profile cases involving police officers where the IOPC have intervened.
He has been instructed to advise in cases involving licensing and fitness. He has advised and represented on public enquiries before the Traffic Commissioners.
He regularly acts on behalf of interested parties at inquest arising from fatal RTI’s
Health & Safety
For the last 20 years he has been briefed by both defence and prosecution in health and safety cases. He is recognised as an expert in the field by the Health and Safety Executive who instruct him to prosecute in the most complex and difficult cases. He is regularly briefed by a number of well-known national firms of solicitors on behalf of companies and individuals facing trial for offences contrary to the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 He has a broad range of experience set out below. He has represented board members facing allegations as well as companies. He regularly appears at inquests representing interested parties and the Health and Safety Executive.
Healthcare – He has appeared in cases involving fatal and serious injury incidents in hospitals and care homes. His experience includes deaths in restraint, suicide, failures in water management systems (legionella outbreaks), failure of PFI management systems, scalding incidents, hoist failures and incidents where patients requiring 24 hour supervision have died as a result of being left unsupervised.
Construction – He has appeared in numerous cases involving fatal and serious injury incidents on construction sites. His experience covers scaffold collapses, falls from height – roof and lift shaft falls, falling masonry and signs, demolition planning, electrocution, trench collapse, asbestos contamination and heavy machinery accidents.
Factories and manufacturing – He has acted in cases arising from woodworking machinery accidents, automated plant and inadequately guarded rotating machinery and presses.
Warehousing, Retail and Transport – He has appeared in numerous cases involving deaths and injury arising from failures in workplace transport. His experience covers goods falling from vehicles, vehicles colliding with workmen and workmen being crushed or injured by vehicles operating on sites with inadequate separation between workmen and machines. He has acted in cases involving overstocking in retail premises.
Mines and Quarries – He was instructed in the 1990’s by British Coal in the respiratory disease litigation and had some involvement in deafness, VWF and explosive fume cases. He has acted subsequently in a number of cases covering crushing from collapse and/or falling rocks, explosive fumes and coal dust, conveyor and manrider accidents, and gas poisoning cases including carbon monoxide in a wider context than mines and quarries (domestic boiler cases).
Agriculture and Forestry – He has acted in a number of serious and fatal injury cases which have occurred on farms or whilst felling trees.
He is instructed in criminal and coronial aspects of this work.
Criminal Fraud and Money Laundering
Ian Bridge is recommended in band 1 for fraud and financial crime. For the last 20 years he has defended in major fraud and money laundering. He has a number of reported Court of Appeal cases. His past significant cases include R v Haddi & Ors (investment fraud), R v Early (London City Bond), R v Smyth (Izodia plc fraud), R v Blair & Others (money laundering), R v Lieberman & Ors (Hackney election fraud), R v Sampson & Ors (landfill tax fraud), R v Sykes & Ors (Cheney pension scheme fraud), R v Ramzan & Ors trial; appeal and retrial (£500 million money laundering), R v Hussein (Burnley election fraud), R v El Kurd (appeal and retrial), R v Anwoir & Ors, R v Montilla & Ors, R v Chahal & Ors (MTIC), R v Ravjani & Ors (MTIC ), R v Leighton (Little Wing Film Scheme Tax Fraud), R v Hill (self-employment tax fraud), R v Heaton (mail dumping fraud), R v Pruthi (£115 million ponzi fraud), R v Hirst & Ors (£10 million Majorca ponzi fraud), R v Arwo & Ors (Astonbrook Housing charity fraud), R v Fonseka & Ors (Sri Lankan ponzi fraud).
Ian is regularly consulted by solicitors and other professionals in relation to their ethical and statutory duties regarding money laundering.
Tax Tribunal and Civil Fraud
Ian Bridge has acted in the tax tribunal on behalf of a large number of companies denied VAT input tax reclaims. He is an expert in cases where companies have been denied VAT reclaims or assessed on the basis of Kittel/Mahageben (alleged knowledge or means of knowledge of connection to fraudulent VAT losses)and Mecsek-Gabona (denial of zero rating in EU transactions) – so called MTIC cases. He is instructed by firms of solicitors and accountants specialising in this particular area.
He has also acted in tribunal appeals unconnected to MTIC. In particular he acted on behalf of Wheels in the FTT and the UTT in a case with wide raging implications relating to the cross over between IPT and VAT for taxi operators. The Commissioners for HM Revenue and Customs v Wheels Private Hire Ltd: [2017] UKUT 0051 (TCC).
He is currently instructed on behalf of a number of Appellant directors appealing decisions to issue penalty assessments pursuant to powers contained in Schedule 24 of the Finance Act 2007. He has successfully argued that individuals facing such allegations are entitled to a representation order as the proceedings are “criminal” in nature. There are potentially other implications of the finding for the conduct of “criminal” appeals in the first tier tax tribunal.
He is currently instructed in a penalty case where the penalty has been issued for breaches of the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 in which the Tax Tribunal has jurisdiction to hear the appeal. He anticipates instruction in penalty appeals under sections 69C,D & E of the recently amended VAT Act 1994 which specifically reference Kittel and Mecsek-Gabona.
Ian is instructed in civil fraud in the High Court and recently succeeded in defending a multimillion fraud allegation brought by liquidators against company officers and investors alleging Kittel knowledge in a substantial VAT fraud in the energy market.
Confiscation, Account Freezing Orders, Bribery and Corruption and Unexplained Wealth
Ian Bridge has acted in numerous Proceeds of Crime Act Cases including the leading case of R v Anwoir [2008] EWCA Crim 1354.
He has recently been consulted and advised in a successfully challenged Account Freezing and Forfeiture Order. This new power to freeze and forfeit contained in Part 5 of POCA as amended by Criminal Finances Act 2017 is likely to see an exponential increase in its use by law enforcers.
He has lectured on bribery and corruption and the implications of the UWO in particular to wealthy foreign nationals resident in the UK.
Ian also regularly acts in enforcement matters including planning enforcement and statutory nuisance at all levels and stages and with particular experience in confiscation under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Ian Bridge has substantial experience of representing police officers facing disciplinary allegations
He has appeared on behalf of police officers at different levels from the disciplinary panel to Chief Constables and thereafter before the tribunal. He is familiar with the workings of the IPCC. He has represented officers before the courts facing criminal allegations.
He is familiar with the workings of the Police National Computer and has a particular interest in data protection issues arising from the alleged misuse of the PNC. He represented one of the Defendants in Operation Barbartus – a substantial conspiracy alleging misconduct in public office relating to the PNC.
Coroners Inquests – Inquest into the death of Gladys Jones Southwark – hospital acquired legionella
Coroners Inquests – Peterborough – hospital pager system
Coroners Inquests – Birmingham hospital suicide of mental health patient
Coroners Inquests – hospital deaths following chlorination failure
Coroners Inquests – Inquest into the death of Steven Perry – death of child in care in RTA
HSWA prosecutions – workplace transport fatality
HSWA prosecutions – Construction site falling debris fatality
HSWA prosecutions – Construction site fence collapse
RTA prosecutions – runaway van, causation issues
RTA prosecutions – fatal motorway collision, causation issues
RTA prosecutions – London cyclist fatality
RTA prosecutions – motorcycle fatality
RTA prosecutions – motorcycle fatality
RTA prosecutions – alleged mobile phone use fatality
RTA prosecutions – London cyclist fatality
RTA prosecutions – serious injury by dangerous driving passenger suffering tetraplegia
RTA prosecutions – multiple vehicle dangerous driving medical defence epilepsy/diabetes
RTA prosecutions – fatal accident with pedestrian, subsequent death in hospital, causation
Ian Bridge, instructed by Sewli Kuddus at Horwich Farrelly, successfully secured the acquittal of a motorist at Croydon Crown Court who had been accused of…
Ian Bridge, instructed by Tim Ingram, partner at Keoghs, recently achieved acquittals for two LGV drivers in separate trials held at Southampton and Ipswich Crown…
"A real giant in financial crime, Ian Bridge is very experienced and thorough with the law and his application of it is second to none. He is able to see solutions very quickly on cases."
"Ian provides robust advice and takes a pragmatic approach to evidence."
"He is brilliant with clients and grasps the issues in all cases easily and quickly."
"Ian's really responsive and always up for a fight."
"Ian Bridge is a very tenacious and robust advocate."
"Ian is very knowledgeable, hard-working, conscientious and commercial. It is a joy working with Ian."
"Ian is an engaged and responsive counsel." "Ian is hugely experienced and very committed."
"Ian Bridge is a very tenacious and robust advocate."
"Ian is very experienced and has a vast pool of knowledge to fall back on. He is second to none in terms of running difficult and technical arguments. He is inventive and finds novel solutions to difficult problems and issues. He is extremely good with clients and excellent at building both rapport and trust with clients."
"Ian is a very capable advocate and possesses a wealth of experience in complex and heavy fraud cases as well as other disciplines. He is excellent with clients and always very approachable to solicitors. He is a very capable leading junior, who can go head-to-head with Queen's counsel. He has a broad level of expertise - civil commercial, regulatory, and complex crime."
"He is to able master details quickly and gets to the heart of issues." "A commanding presence in the courtroom."
"I instruct Ian Bridge in cases where I need someone who I know is a streetfighter. You can rest assured he will work as hard as you do to get the case home."
"Unique approach to cases with a forensic eye for detail. Not afraid to push boundaries and challenge."
"Ian’s great strength is his ability to empathise with his clients and make them feel that he is absolutely on their side."
"He is a fierce advocate." "He is very sharp; clients are amazed by his ability to consume the evidence in such a short space of time."
"A fearsome cross-examiner who is incisive and razor-sharp during the trial process."
"Strong and incisive when presenting tax cases and in cross-examination."
"A good analyst" and "very persuasive and forceful in court."
"Fearless in court and relentless in his meticulous case preparation."
"Particularly recommended for tax matters."
Ian Bridge, instructed by Sewli Kuddus at Horwich Farrelly, successfully secured the acquittal of a motorist at Croydon Crown Court who had been accused of…
Ian Bridge, instructed by Tim Ingram, partner at Keoghs, recently achieved acquittals for two LGV drivers in separate trials held at Southampton and Ipswich Crown…
