David Reid

David Reid

Call 1994
Email david.reid@3pb.co.uk
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Ranked in Chambers UK Bar 2013 - David Reid

David Reid is ranked as a leading junior by Chambers and Partners Directory 2012: 'Winchester barrister David Reid both prosecutes and defends, and his work includes murders and sexual offences.'


David Reid is a criminal law specialist based in Winchester. As a prosecutor he undertakes all types of work, and had been instructed in cases involving murder, conspiracy to defraud and serious sexual offences. His defence practice involves a similarly wide range of work. Recent instructions have included cases involving multiple counts of historic sexual abuse, shaken-baby syndrome, conspiracy to supply controlled drugs and money laundering, and serious violence. He has also regularly represented defendants with severe learning difficulties and psychiatric disorders.

Recent prosecution cases of note

R v Nunn & Jelley - leading junior in successful prosecution of multi-million pound Ponzi fraud, involving multiple investors in a fraudulent property scheme.

R v Bible – murder

R v Smyth – murder

R v Brooks and others (“Operation Crossbow”) – multi-handed historic sexual abuse; two defendants found unfit to stand trial; successful appeal of judge’s preparatory ruling which enabled trial of issue of main defendant (who was unfit) to be dealt with by same jury trying other defendants

R v Simon-Michael - advanced fee fraud; multiple victims worldwide induced to invest many millions of pounds in non-existent projects or to help others; complicated banking trail existed with many transfers and withdrawals; accounts used worldwide; foreign enquiries particularly in Africa; lengthy confiscation hearings - hidden assets found to exist

R v White and others – multi-indictment, multi-handed conspiracy to defraud at H.M. Naval Base, Portsmouth

R v Storey and others – multi-handed GBH with intent

R v D’Arcy and others – conspiracy to burgle

Recent defence cases of note

R v L & R - child cruelty and serious assault on very young child. Allegation of child having been shaken requiring complex medical evidence from experts in several disciplines. Conviction overturned on appeal.

R v Fraser & others - multi-defendant case involving very serious sexual abuse of children

R v Smith and others – multi-handed conspiracy to supply controlled drugs and money laundering

R v Howarth – defendant with severe psychiatric disorder charged with serious sexual offence

R v Wright – defendant with severe learning difficulties charged with sexual offences against a child

R v Burton – successful appeal out of time, citing fresh evidence. Subsequent retrial on counts alleging anal rape and serious sexual assaults on a child

R v Wallace – defendant charged with sexual offences against 5 children from his extended family

R v Chivers – autistic 16 year old charged with GBH with intent

R v White and others – multi-handed violent disorder

R v Kennett – defences of self-defence and necessity successfully run in tandem on trial for causing GBH with intent (using car as weapon) and dangerous driving

Notable Cases

R v Bible - murder

R v Brooks and others ('Operation Crossbow') - multi-handed historic sexual abuse;
two defendants found unfit to stand trial; successful appeal of judge's preparatory ruling which enabled trial of issue of main defendant (who was unfit) to be dealt with by same jury trying other defendants

R v Burton -
successful appeal out of time, citing fresh evidence. Subsequent retrial on counts alleging anal rape and serious sexual assaults on a child

R v Chivers -
autistic 16 year old charged with GBH with intent

R v D'Arcy and others - conspiracy to burgle

R v Howarth -
defendant with severe psychiatric disorder charged with serious sexual offence

R v Kennett -
defences of self-defence and necessity successfully run in tandem on trial for causing GBH with intent (using car as weapon) and dangerous driving

R v Simon-Michael - advanced fee fraud;
multiple victims worldwide induced to invest many millions of pounds in non-existent projects or to help others; complicated banking trail existed with many transfers and withdrawals; accounts used worldwide; foreign enquiries particularly in Africa; lengthy confiscation hearings - hidden assets found to exist

R v Smith and others -
multi-handed conspiracy to supply controlled drugs and money laundering

R v Smyth - murder

R v Storey and others - multi-handed GBH with intent

R v Wallace -
defendant charged with sexual offences against 5 children from his extended family

R v White and others - multi-indictment,
multi-handed conspiracy to defraud at H.M. Naval Base, Portsmouth

R v White and others -
multi-handed violent disorder

R v Wright -
defendant with severe learning difficulties charged with sexual offences against a child