David Brock

Year of Call: 1984

Specialist practice areas: Serious Crime, Criminal/Civil Fraud, Serious Sexual Offences, Regulation/Compliance, Extradition, Asset Forfeiture, Anti-terrorism, Health & Safety, Police Disciplinary, Courts Martial, Inquests & Public Inquiries

David Brock has specialised in criminal work for over 20 years, while continuing to undertake quasi-criminal and regulatory work. The most serious of criminal allegations forms a major part of his mainly defence based practice. He has appeared in numerous cases involving large scale allegations of fraud, bribery, deception, corruption and money laundering.

David frequently appears as a leading junior in fraud cases. Recent examples have involved a VAT fraud valued in excess of £100 million and another case involving fraud and bribery by company directors. He has also been concerned in a Post Office fraud, Inland Revenue evasion and insurance fraud and bribery. In 2008 he represented the manager of a construction company tried for defrauding the Ministry of Defence of £150 million at one of the Royal Navy submarine bases.

In 2007 he led in a large scale car ringing fraud lasting many months. In addition he has substantial experience in confiscation and asset forfeiture cases arising from fraud, bribery and drug related offences.
David has on a number of occasions been concerned in trials involving the summonsing and calling of witnesses from Europe and beyond. He was defence counsel in trial in which a member of the Russion KGB was called and cross examined. That was the first time that had ever happened in England.

Throughout his career David had appeared regularly in the Court of Appeal, and he is cited in celebrated authorities concerning ‘entrapment,' identification, convictions of co-defendants going before the jury, commendations of witnesses by judges and others. On a number of occasions he has been instructed by the Registrar of Criminal Appeals to advise on the merits of fresh appeals against ‘old' convictions where there is a suggestion of ‘new evidence' being available.

David has also appeared frequently in the Court of Appeal, Civil Division, including recently in a case hinging on an insurance, negligence and trade description issue. David's practice also spans gaming and licensing litigation, and he has appeared for organizations in relations to trade descriptions and fraudulent practices. David has experience in matters alleging violence, murder and drug related offences.

David was appointed a Recorder in 2002 and sits in crime throughout the South Eastern Circuit. He has qualified to try serious sex cases also.