Will Paynter

Will Paynter is a specialist advocate with over 20 years’ experience representing those accused of the most serious criminal offences. Will has acted as both leading junior and led junior counsel in large scale drug conspiracies, murder, firearms, high-value fraud and serious sexual offence cases.

Will has expertise in dealing with expert evidence on DNA, fingerprints, firearms, cell-site, phone evidence, forensic accountancy, facial mapping, psychiatry, psychology, pathologist reports and even gait analysis. He has successfully argued duress and modern slavery as defences as well as having cases dismissed as an abuse of process (such as when there were serious police and prosecution disclosure failings).

Combined with Will’s skilful handling of evidence and detailed technical knowledge, his approachable and articulate manner has led to him being instructed in numerous sensitive cases such as those involving very young or vulnerable witnesses.

He understands the criminal process from start to finish having previously been police station accredited and having represented many individuals in their police interviews.

Murder

R v I – Central Criminal Court – Conspiracy to Murder. The defence submitted there was no case to answer at the close of the Crown’s case and the Judge agreed. Will was led in this matter by Stephen Akinsanya and focussed on the crucial cell site evidence

R v M – Central Criminal Court – Youth charged with the fatal stabbing of his friend who was also a youth. Led by Martin Rutherford KC

R v M – Winchester Crown Court – Leading Junior for a defendant accused of assisting an offender alongside 5 defendants on trial for murder. M was acquitted after a lengthy trial

Serious Violence

R v G – Isleworth Crown Court – Son accused of smashing bottle over father’s head on Fathers’ day with intent to cause really serious injury. Found Not Guilty after cross-examination exposed inconsistencies in prosecution witness accounts

R v O – Salisbury Crown Court – Trial of alleged kidnapper said to be wearing fake police uniform. Case focussed around identification issues and phone evidence

R v A – Cambridge Crown Court – Defendant accused of intentional arson of a hotel housing asylum seekers

R v R – Warwick Crown Court – Trial of defendant accused of being involved in a fatal violent disorder and wielding a knife during it. Cross-examination of the prosecution expert meant that importantly the knife charge was not proven

Drugs

R v T – Portsmouth Crown Court. Led James Bull in a multi-month trial involving low THC cannabis. The Court stopped the prosecution case after finding that the drugs have been tested incorrectly.

R v K – Woolwich Crown Court – Represented D2 in a 13 defendant firearm and drug importation case involving a Turkish OCG

R v V – Canterbury Crown Court – NCA prosecution. Van driver asserted he unknowingly brought 280kg of cocaine through the EuroTunnel. Found Not Guilty despite fingerprints found on the carboard the drugs were packaged in.

R v M – Kingston Crown Court – 45kg cocaine EncroChat drugs supply case

R v H – Preston Crown Court – Trial of a defendant accused of being a courier for an OCG operating drug lines throughout the NW of England

Fraud & Customs

R v A – Snaresbrook Crown Court – Multi-million pound gift aid fraud trial involving Pastors and their accountant making false claims and then submitting false audits

R v J – Southwark Crown Court – Leading Junior role for a defendant accused of being a member of a ‘car ringing’ OCG involved in the theft and exportation of over 100 luxury cars (mainly after being reduced into parts)

R v Z – Southwark Crown Court – Acted for a defendant accused of being a member of an OCG importing cigarettes on a scale into the UK which caused a multi-million pound loss of VAT

R v S – Isleworth Crown Court – Defendant and others accused of falsifying Covid PCR tests to evade border controls during the pandemic

R v O – Croydon Crown Court – Accusation of defrauding the government scheme that assists deaf people. Case necessitated both BSL interpretation as well as a deaf intermediary.

Fraud & Customs

R v A – Birmingham Crown Court – Uncle accused of rape and other sexual offences on three separate family members. He was acquitted despite the Crown arguing the unlikelihood of there being coincidental allegations

R v W – St Albans Crown Court – Serving police officer accused of contacting a girl in care for sexual purposes

R v R – Warwick Crown Court – Mother accused of facilitating the abuse of her daughter by the step-father. The case involved pre-recorded XX of young witness and issues raised by the pre-trial death of the co-defendant

R v H – Brimingham Crown Court – Rapes and other sexual offences by Uncle on Niece over a period of years. The case involved a defence intermediary throughout the trial as the defendant had significant cognitive issues

R v R – Brighton Youth Court – Certificate for counsel granted as the case involved an alleged rape of a schoolgirl by a schoolboy after a house-party and involved the cross-examination of multiple child witnesses

R v M – Harrow Crown Court – kidnapping, false imprisonment and sexual assault trial – fake taxi case – historic allegation with complainant giving evidence from Spain

Appelate Cases

R v K – Court of Appeal – Prosecution submitted that a sentence of 8 years was unduly lenient for importation of drugs and firearms and suggested 20 years was appropriate. This was successfully resisted.

R v B – Court of Appeal – Custodial sentence successfully appealed on a drugs case and reduced to a Community Order

R v M – Court of Appeal – The guideline case on ‘matters to be taken into consideration’ which now forms the basis of the Sentencing Council Guidelines

Professional Associations and  Qualifications

CPS Level 2
Member of the Criminal Bar Association
Member of the Southeastern Circuit
Member of Gray’s Inn
Qualified Pupil Supervisor
Vulnerable witness training accredited
Former Member of the Bar Council (and on the Legal Services Committee)
Called to the Bar in 2002