Warwick Aleeson

Barrister

Warwick Aleeson is a highly experienced trial advocate with over 25 years' experience defending in the most serious criminal cases. He specialises in cases of homicide, high end multi-handed drug conspiracies, complex fraud matters (including money laundering, tax evasion and confiscation proceedings) and serious crime. Warwick regularly appears as a leading junior.

Warwick combines his meticulous approach to case preparation and a natural flair for advocacy with a robust and fierce defence of his client’s case, ensuring that each client is represented to the highest possible standards. His high acquittal rate reflects his hard work and commitment to every case he is instructed in.

Warwick’s analytical abilities give him an excellent grasp of complex banking, Encrochat, telephone and cell site data. He can analyse complex documents and evidence and is able to convert them into readily understandable evidence to present before the jury in support of his client’s case.

Warwick has represented high profile defendants and has successfully overturned convictions in the Court of Appeal.

He has very high standards of client care and ensures both his professional and lay clients are provided with the highest levels of support and commitment throughout the case.

Warwick is qualified to receive instructions in Direct Access cases and he undertakes both private client and legal aid work.

Professional Memberships

Criminal Bar Association of England and Wales

Recent Testimonials

"Warwick has an engaging court manner which juries like, is not afraid to make tough decisions during the trial process, and always goes the extra mile for his clients. He has sound judgment as well as the ability to compromise. Warwick is a pleasure to deal with." Legal 500 2025, Crime
"Warwick is a powerful advocate on his feet and equally effective in his written drafting. He is a decision-maker but has the capacity to compromise and work very efficiently with others. He has good judgment and is a sound tactician. He has no weaknesses." Legal 500 2024, Crime
"Warwick is an exceptional barrister with a keen eye for detail." Legal 500 2023, Crime
"Warwick is an extremely hard working and able leading junior. Traditional and hugely effective approach and highly respected in court. He is a solicitor's favourite." Legal 500 2022, Crime
''He has superb analytical abilities which give him an excellent grasp of complex material including telephone and cell data. He can analyse complex documents and evidence and is able to convert them into readily understandable evidence to present before the jury in the support of his client’s case. He has an excellent client manner.'' Legal 500 2021

Murder and Serious Violence

R v RG - Murder – victim was the defendant’s mother – acquitted.
R v JK - 2 handed gang related Murder.
R v RM - Attempted murder arising out of alleged gang retribution - acquitted.
R v H - Murder – acquitted.
R v P - Murder.
R v McAleer - Attempted Murder – instructed after initial conviction to appeal conviction on grounds of jury irregularity. Prosecution case that client deliberately pushed his girlfriend off 4th floor balcony attempting to kill her. Warwick successfully represented client before Court of Appeal overturning his conviction and then client acquitted at retrial.
R v Khalid - Murder, stabbing.
R v Samardzija - Murder; young defendant involved in escalating violence between two groups people using knives and machetes, successfully dismissed suggestion of joint enterprise, acquitted.
R v Stewart - Murder. Allegation that client murdered his authoress wife and disposed of her body in a cess pit. Case attracted national publicity.
R v Holton - Murder, joint enterprise stabbing, acquitted.
R v Quinn - Conspiracy to commit robbery and firearms, acquitted.
R v Crook - Murder, acquitted.
R v Turney - Murder, acquitted.
R v HW - Infanticide - allegation of Murder of a new borne child. Successful application to dismiss on the grounds of weakness in the pathological evidence. Prosecuted by a silk.
R v Parvez - Conspiracy to rob with Firearms, acquitted.
R v Montori - Acted as the leading junior in an attempted murder against a silk; involved complex expert evidence on mental/medical matters, including legal arguments on admissibility.
R v Yeter - Two handed murder. Successful submission of no case to answer.
R v Roberts - Leading junior in a multi handed familial homicide case attracting national publicity (“Blue lagoon murder”).
R v G - Attempted murder of an eight-month-old infant.
R v Lynch - Sixteen handed murder case, acting for one of the principal defendants.
R v Back - Case of murder and child cruelty, which attracted national publicity.
R v C - Rape of wife by husband; acquitted in circumstances where the defendant made full admissions in police interview by leading evidence of false confessions from a senior psychiatrist.
R v Manley - Serious assault on child by father, child refused to give evidence and Crown sought to bring case solely based on hearsay evidence. Involved analysis and presentation of argument on developing area of law and Supreme Court authorities (R v Horncastle) on admission of evidence where hearsay is “sole or decisive” evidence.

Drugs Conspiracies

R v MS – Leading counsel in Encro phone based multi-kilo UK wide drug conspiracy
R v B - Leading counsel in Encro phone based 1.2 tonne Class A Drugs Conspiracy
R v Khan - Class A Drugs conspiracy
R v Carter - Class A Drugs Conspiracy and Firearms,
R v Akhtar - Case involving client who had confessed to warehousing 30kg of heroin where there was no physical evidence of the drug. Confession occurred when police had received intelligence that defendant was about to be murdered by group of hitmen. Case based solely on his confession. Successfully persuaded judge to impose suspended sentence.
R v Gjuni - Conspiracy to supply class A - acquitted.

Sexual Offences

R v Taylor - Rape – acquitted
R v Campbell - Rape - acquitted
R v Sakar - Rape and Kidnap, acquitted
R v Wroblewski - Rape - acquitted

Other Offences

R v J - Senior criminal solicitor charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice in a murder investigation. Acquitted following a 10 week trial at the Central Criminal Court.
R v D - Perverting the Course of Justice, acquitted.
R v Wilkinson - Death by Dangerous Driving, acquitted.
R v Merkt - Highly sensitive child neglect case attracting national publicity as it involved an allegation that a mother left her three young children to go on her honeymoon. Warwick persuaded the Recorder of Leeds to invite the crown to discontinue the case on both evidential and public interest grounds – the case was dropped as a result of these submissions.

Fraud, Asset Forfeiture & Confiscation

R v Barrington - ongoing.
R v Ali - Fraud Conspiracy, acquitted,
R v Orozco - Described as the largest cocaine money laundering case ever prosecuted in the United Kingdom (there were twenty-six defendants); Warwick identified a novel point on the meaning of benefit in the Proceeds of Crime Act, which was successfully argued before the court.
R v SC - Multimillion-pound fraudulent trading and money laundering case. Warwick managed to reduce the client’s personal criminal benefit figure from over £500,000 to £35,000.
R v Bains - Leading junior in multi-million money laundering case - acquitted.
R v Black - Multi-million-pound boiler room fraud.
R v Koukoullis - Leading counsel in £5 million contested confiscation proceedings.