Lalith de Kauwe

Practice

He is highly experienced with an entirely defence based practice. He has led as a leading junior in cases of murder, manslaughter, police misconduct, fraud and drugs. His practice in serious crime also includes armed robbery, kidnap, animal rights, and public disorder. He joined chambers in 1979 and believes in civil rights, social justice and community solidarity.

Notable Cases

Murder/Homicide
R v Amir Naim (2009) - Central Criminal Court (attemptrd murder by shooting).
R v Sivapragasam Rajeshkanna - 2008, Central Criminal Court (stabbing/beating).
R v Quadeer Khan - 2008, Central Criminal Court (stabbing).
R v Sultan Mir - 2007, Central Criminal Court (stabbing).
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).
R v. Tyson Fearon - 2004, Central Criminal Court (shooting).
R v. Ali Saeed - 2004, Birmingham Crown Court (stabbing).
R v. Patrick Thompson - 2004, Central Criminal (punching).
R v. Kimberley McIntosh - 2002, Central Criminal Court (stabbing).
R v. Anne Keleher - 2002, Birmingham Crown Court (manslaughter/child cruelty).
R v. Shahid Ghafoor - 2002, Kingston Court (death by dangerous driving). 
R v. Vincent Simpson - 1995, Central Criminal (attempted murder/shooting).
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).  
R v. Zulaq Khan - 1988, Birmingham Crown Court (stabbing).

Non-fatal offences against the person
R v Huseyin Gizli (2009) - Wood Green Crown Court (blackmail).
R v. Guki Adeniran - 2006, Northampton Crown Court (stabbing).
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).
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).
R v. Jerry Agyemeng - 2003, Inner London Crown Court (kidnapping/firearm).
R v Leighton Nembhard - 2003, Isleworth Crown Court (firearm).
R v. Paul Duffy - 2002, Harrow Crown Court (stabbing). 
R v.Chon Kiong Hong - 2001, Norwich Crown Court (kidnapping/conspiracy to blackmail).
R v Ronald McClean - 1996, Middlesex Crown Court (s18).
R v Sijjel Quadri - 1996, Burnley Crown Court (s18).
R v. Thi Thoa Hoang - 1996, Birmingham Crown Court (s18).
R v John Naughton - 1992 (s.18) Sheffield Crown Court. 
R v Mohammed Afzal - 1991 (violent disorder) Sheffield Crown Court. 

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 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 Shadi Daryadel - 2003 Middlesex Crown Court (Florida International Driving Licence fraud)
R v Sheila McIntosh - 2003 St. Albans Crown Court (social security fraud).
R v Salim Mumtaz (2001, Kingston Crown Court (bank fraud)
R v. Rajinder Bamotra 2001, Ipswich Crown Court (vat fraud).
R v Shazia Nawaz - 1999, Snaresbrook Crown Court (post office fraud).
R v Anooraj Sharma - 1999, Snaresbrook Crown Court (conspiracy to defraud).
R v Arif Kokkoz - 1998, Wood Green Crown Court (bank fraud).
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 Sikander Abbas - 2008, Kingston Crown Court (MHRA) fake medicines and possession with intent to supply class C drugs).
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).
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).
R v Robert Cleugh - 2002, Wood Green Crown Court (conspiring to supply Class C drugs).  
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).
R v Trevor Williams - 1992, Manchester Crown Court (Class A importation).

Smuggling
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.
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.
R v. Julia Stuart, Jane Winfield & David Gilfoyle - 1994, Northampton Crown Court.
R v. Ralph Cook - 1985, Knutsford Crown Court.

Public Order
R v. Nassem Ahmed - 2005, Bradford Crown Court (Bradford riot). NUM Strike Trials 1984. Southall Trials 1979.

Court of Appeal
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

He is the General Secretary of the Association of the Sri Lankan Lawyers. Lalith is also Chair of the Tsunami Committee that is still raising 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/

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 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.

Interests

Peace, conflict resolution and unity in Sri Lanka; travel; food and cricket.

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