Tom Little KC

Tom has conducted more than eighty homicide trials as well as the full range of other serious criminal cases most notably terrorism and sexual offences. He regularly appears in high-profile cases both at Old Bailey and also in the Court of Appeal. He has particular expertise in cases involving expert evidence and also in the handling and use of highly sensitive material (where he combines his experience as both Treasury Counsel and the Special Advocate). However, it is as an appellate advocate that he is particularly well-renowned. He is frequently instructed on appeal in cases that he was not involved at first instance either in appeals where unrelated cases are listed together to address matters of general public importance or as an amicus appointed by the Attorney General to assist the Court on difficult legal issues.

Notable Crime cases

• R v Choudry and Hussein [2024]
  

  Tom successfully prosecuted Anjem Choudary and Khalid Hussein in this high profile terrorism prosecution. Anjem Choudary was only the second person to be successfully prosecuted for an offence of directing a terrorist organisation. A life sentence with a minimum term of 28 years was imposed upon him for his offending.

• R v NG and O'Reilly [2024] EWCA Crim 493; [2024] 1 WLR 3225
  

  Tom appeared just on appeal successfully overturning a decision of the Resident Judge in Canterbury to stay a case as an abuse of process following the non-attendance of prosecution counsel. The case provides clear guidance as to the correct approach to be taken in these cases.

• Attorney General's Reference on a point of law (No 1 of 2023) [2024] EWCA Crim 243; [2024] 1 WLR 3205
  

  Tom appeared for the Attorney General in this reference on a point law relating to the offence of criminal damage arising in the course of a protest. The Court accepted Tom’ submissions.

• R v Jacques (2023)
  

  Successfully prosecuted quadruple murder trial in which the defendant killed three generations of one family. Case turned on competing psychiatric evidence as to diminished responsibility.

• R v Poonia and others (2023)
  

  Successfully prosecuted murder trial in which victim was murdered in drug debt dispute and his body was then hidden and transferred to the countryside, burnt and buried in a shallow grave.

• R v Carrick (2023)
  

  Successfully prosecuted Metropolitan Police Officer who was a serial rapist offending against 13 women over nearly two decades. All offences committed when he was a Police officer.

• R v McGrory (2022)
  

  Successfully prosecuted murder and rape offences committed in 1975. The defendant had been acquitted of murder in 1976 but following advances in DNA there was new and compelling scientific evidence which led to the Court of Appeal in 2021 quashing the acquittal and ordering a retrial in which that evidence was the main evidence against the defendant. Tom appeared both in the Court of Appeal and at trial.

• Attorney General's Reference on a point of law (No 1 of 2022)
  

  Successfully appeared on behalf of the Attorney General seeking clarification as to whether an ECHR proportionality analysis was required before a defendant could be convicted for an offence of criminal damage arising in the course of a protest. The reference related to the trial of the defendants for the toppling of the Colston statue in Bristol.

• R v Ali Harbi Ali (2022)
  

  Successfully prosecuted case relating to the murder of Sir David Amess MP who was stabbed to death in a church whilst meeting constituents.

• R v Nazir Ahmed and two others (2021)
  

  Successfully prosecuted Lord Ahmed of Rotherham and his two brothers for historic sexual offending.

• R v Couzens (2021)
  

  Prosecuted serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard.

• R v Umerji (2021) [2021] EWCA Crim 598
  

  Tom successfully represented the Prosecution in the Court of Appeal in case involving complex arguments of statutory construction as to whether a defendant must be present at their section 51 hearing in the Magistrates’ Court when sent to the Crown Court for an indictable only offence.

• R v Vyas (2020)
  

  Successfully prosecuted serial stranger rapist whose attacks involved increasing violence culminating in the murder of the last victim.

• R v Bater-James and Mohammed (2020) [2020] 2 Cr. App. R. 20
  

  Successfully appeared just in the Court of Appeal to represent the prosecution in two conjoined appeals so that guidance could be given on the correct approach to the obtaining of, searching and disclosure of the content of mobile telephones of complainants.

• R v Weir (2019) [2019] EWCA Crim 638
  

  Successfully prosecuted double murder trial that made legal history. The defendant had previously had his conviction for murder quashed by the Court of Appeal in 2000. Tom represented the DPP in the application to quash the acquittal under the double jeopardy provisions in light of new DNA evidence and then he prosecuted both that and another murder at trial.