CRIMINAL LAW

Francis Hoar has a wide-ranging practice in criminal law.

• Three (successful) appearances before the Court of Appeal

• Application to stay a prosecution for abuse in £1.6 million VAT ‘MTIC’ fraud

• Prosecuted and defended trials in the Crown Court including:

S. 18 and S.20 GBH; Supply of Class A drugs; Breach of trust theft (c £100,000 of jewellery); Robbery;

Offensive weapons; Dangerous driving; Immigration offences (including case of R v Suleiman, which featured in London Lite); Affray

• Other applications and mentions including in multi-handed frauds and drug conspiracies and in cases of murder

• Those instructing Francis have included the SFO, Revenue & Customs Prosecutions Office, the DWP, a wide range of defence firms, the CPS and local authorities

• Reported cases:
R v Wells (Robert) [2006] EWCA Crim 610
R v Ward (Chad) [2005] EWCA Crim 1963

ASSET FORFEITURE

Francis recently spent eight months seconded to the Asset Forfeiture Division of the Revenue & Customs Prosecution Office, during which period he was responsible for a large caseload of confiscation and forfeiture work in some of the biggest current prosecutions, from before charge until the end of the enforcement process.  He has drafted Restraint Orders, pre-confiscation prosecution statements, preparation for confiscation hearings, applications to increase confiscation orders, replies to applications for certificates of inadequacy and s 23 POCA applications, applications for management and enforcement receivers, replies to third party applications, including in ancillary relief proceedings, and witness statements for all the above.  He was instructed as counsel to the RCPO on a number of occasions whilst seconded. 

CIVIL & DISCIPLINARY LAW

Francis has a broad civil practice representing both claimants and defendants, principally in the areas of employment, personal injury, housing, licensing, and Consumer Credit Act hearings. He has conducted a number of hearings in the High Court and in County Courts (including appeals) throughout the South East and Midlands Circuits.

Recent and other noteworthy cases include:

• Representing a group of villagers in successfully resisting the proposed sale of an ancient artefact by a village church in an application before the St Albans Consistory Court of the Church of England (case featured on an ITN news report);

• Representing a major political party in a disciplinary hearing contesting an appeal to the party’s national Board (the appeal was dismissed);

• Application for an exclusionary injunction against the partner of a Council tenant.

PUBLIC LAW

Francis Hoar is regularly instructed in asylum appeals, commercial immigration, entry clearance appeals and appeals against the refusal of indefinite leave to relatives of British nationals. His cases have been before the IAA, IAT and the AIT and he is regularly instructed to advise in relation to judicial review proceedings.

Francis has acted for defendants in drafting pleadings and advising in civil actions against the police.

With his criminal and public law background, he is well placed to advise and act in prison law and related cases affecting the liberty of the subject.

Other Information:

• Elected member of the Committee of the Criminal Bar Association, 2007, in which position he has written four CBA responses to Government consultations relating to law reform;

• Thomas More, Hardwicke and pupillage scholar, Lincoln’s Inn; John Colston award, Bristol University;

• Interests include running (running the Flora London Marathon in 2008 for Cancer Research); skiing, singing and politics

Professional Memberships:

Criminal Bar Association

South East Circuit

| Email this Page to a colleague