Tony Meisels, Partner, Serious Crime & Regulatory Defence Lawyer In London

Admitted 2000

TONY IS A VERY EXPERIENCED SOLICITOR WHO HAS BEEN WITH LEWIS NEDAS LAW SINCE 1992.  RECOMMENDED IN THE LEGAL 500 TOP TIER FIRMS 2024

AREAS OF SPECIALISATION

• Serious Crime
• Regulatory Defence

After initially qualifying as a legal executive and becoming a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives, Tony went on to qualify as a solicitor and has been a Partner at Lewis Nedas Law since 2003. In 2006, Tony obtained his Higher Rights of Audience, which allows him to conduct advocacy in the Crown Court.

As a defence solicitor, Tony has extensive experience in serious and complex crime. He regularly represents clients charged with the most serious criminal offences including murder, rape, GBH, fraud and multi-defendant drugs conspiracies.

Tony takes a hands-on approach to the cases on which he is instructed, frequently attending the police station, which is a very important stage in the criminal process and then representing clients both in the magistrates’ court and the Crown Court. He is diligent and committed, and dedicated to obtaining the best outcome for his clients.

A particular area of expertise for Tony is cases involving indecent images, historic sex offences and the imposition of sexual harm prevention orders as well as sexual risk orders. Tony also deals with prosecutions arising out of the breaching of such orders.

Tony has knowledge of cases involving the trade in endangered species. CITES, or the Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species of wild flora and fauna provides the framework while enforcement occurs via COTES, which is the Control of Trade in Endangered Species regulations.

Tony is a member of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association, or LCCSA and was previously a member of the committee, spending 5 years as the Law Reform Officer.

CASES OF NOTE

The most prominent case in which Tony was involved was that of R –v- Nicky Jacobs, who in 2013 was charged with the murder of PC Keith Blakelock during the Broadwater Farm riot in October 1985. The Crown sought to rely on unreliable witnesses who were given immunity from prosecution for their own roles in the murder, as well as a rap poem written by the defendant when he was just 16 years old.

After a five-week trial in March/April 2014, the jury took less than one hour to acquit Jacobs of the murder of Keith Blakelock. There was, at the time, extensive press coverage, and Tony appeared on Newsnight with Jeremy Paxman shortly before the end of Paxman’s long tenure as presenter of Newsnight. The murder of Keith Blakelock remains unsolved and is indeed the only murder of a serving officer on the mainland of the United Kingdom where no one has ever been convicted.

OTHER SIGNIFICANT CASES FOR TONY INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING

R –v- OP – A bus driver was accused of causing death by dangerous driving when he drove his bus into the back of a stationary bus in front, which in turn crushed a passing pedestrian, this being Victoria Coach Station. After a re-trial, OP was acquitted of causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving. He always accepted that he had caused death by careless driving.

R –v- DSA – DSA stabbed an associate of his several times on the balcony outside his flat following an argument over race.

R –v- JA – a novel and unusual case where JA’s ex-wife launched a private prosecution against her ex-husband for coercive and controlling behaviour because he had refused to provide her with a Get. A Get is a Jewish religious divorce, can only be granted by the man and without one, the woman is not permitted to remarry within the Jewish religion. The case against JA was discontinued after he granted his ex-wife a get. The couple had been divorced in the family court some 20 years earlier.

R –v- BE – a significant county lines drugs conspiracy in Northampton in which over £600,000 worth of drugs were supplied. BE was a key lieutenant of the king pin in this conspiracy.

R –v- NB – a romance fraud in which NB is alleged to have defrauded six women over a period of almost 10 years. Over £1.5 million was handed to NB during the currency of the fraud, and the women losing several hundred thousand pounds each.

R –v- L – the client in this case was an NCO at a RAF base who engaged in sexual activity with girls under the age of 16 years old who were members of the RAF cadets.

R –v- YK – YK was prosecuted for murder and robbery after the deceased was fatally stabbed twice as he resisted two men who stole his e-bike.

R –v- SR – A group of 5 prison officers were accused of entering an inmate’s cell at HMP Thameside and causing the occupant a significant brain injury. SR was acquitted after a lengthy trial, although other defendants were convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and misconduct in a public office.

R v PM – This case concerned a historic allegation of indecent assault which had occurred some 40 years previously.

R v DA – This is an ongoing matter where the defendant has been accused of Bounce Back Loan fraud and, as the sole director, fraudulently removing substantial sums from two companies before they were placed in liquidation.

R v SM – This was a multi-defendant case wherein a group of employees at Boots, along with others, defrauded the company of over £100,000. SM was acquitted at trial.