Lalith de Kauwe

Practice

Lalith is a highly regarded and experienced Criminal Barrister with an entirely defence based practice. He also has past experience in employment and family work. Called to the Bar in 1978, he joined Chambers in 1979, aged 23 years old, motivated by a belief that dedicated lawyers can change the world. His commitment to Garden Court Chambers has been unswerving ever since. Throughout, his legal practice has been informed by his belief in social justice, civil rights and a commitment to assisting disadvantaged communities. This belief was reinforced through witnessing first hand the disturbances in Southall April 1979 that resulted in the killing of Blair Peach. Lalith was involved in the subsequent defence campaign with Southall Monitoring Group.

Working as a full time practitioner, Lalith has acted as a leading junior in cases of murder, manslaughter, fraud, police misconduct, drugs and conspiracy to breach immigration law. His practice in serious crime also includes armed robbery, kidnap, animal rights, and public disorder. As Counsel in R v Sultan Mir and R v Quadeer Khan, Lalith was involved in the longest running murder trial to date at the Old Bailey, in which both of his clients were acquitted of double murder.

Notable Cases

Murder/Homicide

R v Amir Naim (2009) - Central Criminal Court (attempted murder by shooting). Acquittal.
R v Sivapragasam Rajeshkanna - 2008, Central Criminal Court (stabbing/beating).
R v Quadeer Khan - 2008, Central Criminal Court (stabbing). Acquittal.
R v Sultan Mir - 2007, Central Criminal Court (stabbing). Acquittal.
R v. Abdul Quadeer - 2005, Central Criminal Court (stabbing).
R v Hussain Hassan - 2005, Central Criminal Court (stabbing).
R v. Raju Rahman - 2004, Central Criminal Court (stabbing).Acquittal.
R v. Tyson Fearon - 2004, Central Criminal Court (shooting).Acquittal.
R v. Ali Saeed - 2004, Birmingham Crown Court (stabbing).
R v. Patrick Thompson - 2004, Central Criminal (punching). Acquittal.
R v. Kimberley McIntosh - 2002, Central Criminal Court (stabbing). Acquittal.
R v. Anne Keleher - 2002, Birmingham Crown Court (manslaughter/child cruelty). Acquittal manslaughter.
R v. Shahid Ghafoor - 2002, Kingston Court (death by dangerous driving). Acquittal.
R v. Vincent Simpson - 1995, Central Criminal (attempted murder/shooting). Acquittal.
R v. Michael Whittle - 1998 Central Criminal (suffocating).
R v. Stafford Collins 1997 Birmingham Crown Court (shooting).
R v. Darius Micheski - 1990, Central Criminal Court (burning). Acquittal.
R v. Zulaq Khan - 1988, Birmingham Crown Court (stabbing). Acquittal.

Non-fatal offences against the person

R v Naresh Mylvaganam - 2011, Kingston Crown Court (GBH). Acquittal.
R v Thanusha Prasath - 2011, Harrow Crown Court (GBH stabbing) - Unfit to plead. Jury found she did not do the act.
R v Jordan Straker - 2011, Isleworth Crown Court (Aggravated burglary)
R v. Hajredin Docaj - 2011, Inner London Crown Court (GBH stabbing). Acquittal on a submission of no case.
R v Lauren Rugless - 2011, Inner London Crown Court (Possessing a prohibited weapon)
R v Sarab Khan - 2011, Sheffield Crown Court (arson with intent to endanger life)
R v Kanchana Ariyaratne - 2010, Blackfriars Crown Court (GBH). Acquittal on a dismissal submission.
R v Huseyin Gizli - 2009, Wood Green Crown Court (blackmail). Acquittal.
R v. Guki Adeniran - 2006, Northampton Crown Court (stabbing). Acquittal.
R v. Mariusz Bilobran - 2006 Blackfriars Crown Court (kidnapping).
R v Leslie Pitts - 2005 Inner London Crown Court (hot water scalding).
R v Hassan Gashi - 2004, Snaresbrook Crown Court (stabbing). Acquittal.
R v. Shefik Shefik - 2004, Woolwich Crown Court (stabbing).
R v Mangunza Poso - 2004, Luton Crown Court (violent disorder).
R v. Punhei Wong - 2003, Swindon Crown Court (stabbing). Acquittal on a submission of no case.
R v. Jerry Agyemeng - 2003, Inner London Crown Court (kidnapping/firearm). Acquittal.
R v Leighton Nembhard - 2003, Isleworth Crown Court (firearm). Acquittal.
R v. Paul Duffy - 2002, Harrow Crown Court (stabbing). Acquittal.
R v.Chon Kiong Hong - 2001, Norwich Crown Court (kidnapping/conspiracy to blackmail).
R v Ronald McClean - 1996, Middlesex Crown Court (s18). Acquittal.
R v Sijjel Quadri - 1996, Burnley Crown Court (s18). Acquittal.
R v. Thi Thoa Hoang - 1996, Birmingham Crown Court (s18).
R v John Naughton - 1992 (s.18) Sheffield Crown Court. Acquittal.
R v Mohammed Afzal - 1991 (violent disorder) Sheffield Crown Court. Acquittal.

Police Misconduct

R v Khan - 2006, Kingston Crown Court.
R v Nwadikwa Jonathan - 2005, Middlesex Crown Court.

Perverting the course of public justice

R v Lee Bridgeman - 2011, Blackfriars Crown Court (false statement). Acquittal.
R v Ibrahim Miyah - 2010, Cambridge Crown Court (witness intimidation). Acquittal.
R v Kimberley Campbell - 2006, Harrow Crown Court (false alibi).
R v. Ian Glaubes - 2002, (Soliciting to Murder)
R v. Manoj Siluvai - 2001, Central Criminal (disposal of murder evidence).

Fraud

R v Carleen Bryan - Inner London Crown Court, (money laundering).
R v Shadi Daryadel - 2003 Middlesex Crown Court (Florida International Driving Licence fraud) Acquittal.
R v Sheila McIntosh - 2003 St. Albans Crown Court (social security fraud). Acquittal.
R v Salim Mumtaz (2001, Kingston Crown Court (bank fraud)
R v. Rajinder Bamotra 2001, Ipswich Crown Court (vat fraud). Acquittal.
R v Shazia Nawaz - 1999, Snaresbrook Crown Court (post office fraud).
R v Anooraj Sharma - 1999, Snaresbrook Crown Court (conspiracy to defraud). Acquittal.
R v Arif Kokkoz - 1998, Wood Green Crown Court (bank fraud). Acquittal.
R v. Mohammed Hanif - 1997, Liverpool Crown Court (vat fraud).
R v. Jamil Akhtar - 1995, Liverpool Crown Court (vat fraud).
R v Patricia Flynn - 1994, Knightsbridge Crown Court (bank fraud).
R v Narinder Dhingra - 1992, Southwark Crown Court (mortgage fraud).

Drugs

R v Sean Alexandra - 2011, St. Albans Crown Court (possession with intent to supply Class A drugs).
R v Sikander Abbas - 2008, Kingston Crown Court (MHRA) fake medicines and possession with intent to supply class C drugs). Acquittal.
R v. Hou Chan - 2006, Ipswich Crown Court (cannabis cultivation).
R v Euan Lawrence - 2006, Harrow Crown Court (cocaine manufacture).
R v Nana Akuamoa - 2004, Isleworth Crown Court (Mitigation Class A importation).
R v Gillian Scott - 2004, Harrow Crown Court (conspiracy to supply Class A drugs). Acquittal.
R v Rizwan Alyas - 2004, Isleworth Crown Court (possession with intent to supply Class A drugs).
R v Eric Hartman - 2004, Harrow Crown Court (possession with intent to supply Class A drugs).
R v Orson De Silva - 2003, Canterbury Criminal Court (Mitigation conspiracy to import cocaine, MMDA, cannabis and firearms/ammunition).
R v Leighton Nembhard - 2003, Isleworth Crown Court (possession with intent to supply Class A drugs). Acquittal.
R v Robert Cleugh - 2002, Wood Green Crown Court (conspiring to supply Class C drugs). Acquittal.
R v Sajid Hussain - 2000, Chichester Crown Court (Mitigation conspiring to supply 6 kilos of Heroin).
R v Phillip Palmer - 1998, Croydon Crown Court (Class A importation)
R v. Lascelles Anthony Richardson - 1999, Bristol Crown Court (possession with intent to supply Class A drugs). Acquittal.
R v Trevor Williams - 1992, Manchester Crown Court (Class A importation). Acquittal.

Smuggling

Rv Yung Fatt Pun - 2010, Ipswich Crown Court (conspiracy to breach immigration law)
Alina Padararu - 2009, Croyden Crown Court (trafficking for prostitution).
R v John Ashcroft - 2008, Southwark Crown Court (people smuggling).
R v Nasser Hasani - 2004, Canterbury Crown Court (people smuggling).

Armed robbery

R v Hamid Ayub - 2005 Stafford Crown Court. Acquittal.
R v Orson De Silva - 2003, Central Criminal Court.

Animal Rights

R v. David Hammond - 1996, Lewes Crown Court.
R v. Debbie Smith - 1994, Leicester Crown Court. Acquittal.
R v. Julia Stuart, Jane Winfield & David Gilfoyle - 1994, Northampton Crown Court. Acquittal.
R v. Ralph Cook - 1985, Knutsford Crown Court.

Public Order

R v. Nassem Ahmed - 2005, Bradford Crown Court (Bradford riot).
National Union of Miners Strike Trials 1984.
Southall Trials 1979.

Court of Appeal

R v Lauren Rugless - 2011, (Possessing a prohibited weapon) Duress defence and s.51A Firearms Act exceptional circumstances.
R v. Alina Padararu - 2010 (trafficking for prostitution).
Attorney General's Reference (Jamal Sulieman) No 12 and 13 2007.
R v. Mohammed Ali Jamal - 2001 (conspiracy to supply class A drugs).
R v. Stafford Collins - 1998 (murder).
R v. John Roberts - 1998 (murder).
R v. Satpal Ram (murder).
R v. Gerard O'Halloran - 1994 (s18).
R v Mohammed Afzal - 1992 (public order).
R v. Ramakrishnan - 1985 (self defence offensive weapon).

Societies

Lalith is an Ex-Co member, and former Chair of the Association of Sri Lankan Lawyers in the U.K. He is Chair of the Tsunami Committee that continues to raise funds and public awareness of the catastrophic impact of the Boxing Day Tsunami on impoverished rural communities in Sri Lanka. He is a Trustee of the Sri Lankan Lawyers Tsunami Children Appeal registered charity No.1108341. www.aslluk.co.uk/

Lalith is also involved in fundraising for people internally displaced and injured by the recently ended 30 year old conflict in Sri Lanka. He is a member of Amnesty International.

Legal Work

Lalith frequently lectures on criminal law. He was a Legal Consultant to the Department of Environment and Brunel University project on Racial Harassment and Violence in local authority housing. Past voluntary work includes: Member of Bar Race Relations Committee; Chair of management committee of West Hampstead Community Law Centre; Advice worker at Ealing Housing Aid Service, Paddington Law Centre and West Hampstead Law Centre; Chair of Camden Committee for Community Relations; Executive member of the Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers and Vice-chair of the Society of Black Lawyers.

Background

Lalith was born in Wellawatte, Sri Lanka in 1956. He studied at Royal College, Colombo and emigrated to England with his family in 1966, where he studied at Quintin Kynaston Comprehensive, London and read Law at the University of Kent, Canterbury. He is married with two children.
Lalith frequently lectures on criminal law. He was a Legal Consultant to the Department of Environment and Brunel University project on Racial Harassment and Violence in local authority housing and a Member of Bar Race Relations Committee. He was for many years involved in voluntary work in the law centre movement, conducting advice work at Ealing Housing Aid Service, Paddington Law Centre, West Hampstead Law Centre and in Brixton. He was the Chair of the management committee of West Hampstead Community Law Centre; Chair of Camden Committee for Community Relations; Executive member of the Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers and Vice-chair of the Society of Black Lawyers.

Interests

Lalith is passionately committed to peace, conflict resolution and unity in Sri Lanka. His other interests are cricket, cooking and travelling.

Profile updated: October 2011

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