Gordon Cole

Experienced in heavyweight serious criminal cases

The Legal 500 2016

Gordon Cole KC

  • Called in 1979
  • Silk in 2006

Gordon Cole KC specialises in all types of serious crime. He has appeared for both the prosecution and defence in numerous cases, including; for charges of murder, serious sexual abuse, drugs, gross negligence manslaughter, regulatory work and fraud.

Crime

Drugs / Guns

  • R v Golubovskij (2014): Successful defence in Legal High Importation case.
  • R v Jewell (2013): Defendant indicted as part of the gang that lived and supplied drugs in Croxteth area of Liverpool – involving shootings / arson / drugs supply in prison.
  • R v Steven Cordwell (2011): Defended man charged with importation of 67 Glock pistols.
  • R v Liaqat Khan (2011): Successful defence of a man charged with a drug-related shooting (Manchester).
  • R v Stella Taylor (2009): One of main defendants in very large drug importation case (Liverpool Crown Court).

Fraud

  • R v Daniel Barrs (2015): Defence in global Carbon Credit fraud.
  • R v Barrs (2015): Defence in MTIC / Carbon Credit fraud and money laundering allegation.
  • R v Manjra (2013): Huge MTIC £150 million fraud – 5 defendants – trial lasted over 6 months.
  • R v Richard Kemp (2011): Successfully defended in a pharmaceutical fraud which was the largest case of its type brought by the MHRA alleging huge importation of counterfeit pharmaceuticals (Croydon Crown Court).
  • R v Rashid & Others (2010): Prosecuted election fraud (Leeds Crown Court).
  • Operation Talmine (2009): Election fraud from Bradford West with numerous defendants (Leeds Crown Court).

Murder

  • R v Sarah Williams & Katrina Walsh (2016): Represented Sarah Williams in high profile murder from Helmshore in Lancashire. Case heard at Preston Crown Court.
  • R v Daniel Johnston (2016): Represented 1 of 3 defendants indicted of murder of 14 year old boy. Particularly brutal killing in churchyard in Carlisle.
  • R v Hoyles (2015): Prosecuted defendant indicted with murder of woman – subject of BBC Two CPS documentary ‘The Prosecutors’.
  • R v Liptrot (2015): Represented defendant indicted with Gross Negligence Manslaughter as a result of him being both landlord and serving firefighter. A tenant had set fire to one of his homes killing 5 persons.
  • R v Stephen Duggan (2015): Prosecuted defendant indicted with the murder of a woman passer by who stopped to assist in an argument between defendant and his partner.
  • R v Jervis (2014): Defence of drug / gang related killing.
  • R v David Ryan (2013): Defendant indicted with the murder of his girlfriend – lady who lived alone in Cheshire – alleging mutilation and murder as result of being forced to pay back monies he had conned from deceased.
  • R v Childs and Price (2013): Defendants charged and convicted of joint enterprise homicide.
  • R v Owen (2013): Double murder of partner and daughter.
  • R v Kenny (2013): Homicide by deliberately running over victim.
  • R v Ricky Jervis (2013): Drug related punishment killing.
  • R v Keith Rumbold (2012): Defended a man charged with murdering his wife who was ill with Alzheimer’s (Manchester).
  • R v Mark Done (2012): Successful defence of a man charged with murder in what is called a ‘no body murder’ (Chester Crown Court).
  • R v Howard & Cotterill (2012): Prosecuted two men in a murder by shooting (Manchester).
  • R v Ashleigh Robinson (2011): Defended woman charged with the pre-planned murder of her father (Mold Crown Court).
  • R v Andrew Daniels (2011): Successfully defended a man charged with attempted murder (Newcastle Crown Court).
  • R v Piotr Kruk (2011): Polish defendant charged with murder – acquitted (Manchester Crown Court).
  • R v Colin Cain (2010): Defended high profile random murder of a young 15 year-old army cadet (Liverpool Crown Court).
  • R v Raeben Kareem (2010): Defence of murder and attempted murder of 2 others after imprisonment and torture by Kurdish Iraqi (Bradford Crown Court).

Notable Cases


R v Sarah Williams & Katrina Walsh (2016)
Represented Sarah Williams in high profile murder from Helmshore in Lancashire. Case heard at Preston Crown Court.

R v Daniel Johnston (2016)
Represented 1 of 3 defendants indicted of murder of 14 year old boy. Particularly brutal killing in churchyard in Carlisle.

R v Hoyles (2015)
Prosecuted defendant indicted with murder of woman – subject of BBC Two CPS documentary ‘The Prosecutors’.

Read more

R v Liptrot (2015)
Represented defendant indicted with Gross Negligence Manslaugther as a result of him being both landlord and serving firefighter. A tenant had set fire to one of his homes killing 5 persons.

R v Stephen Duggan (2015)
Prosecuted defendant indicted with the murder of a woman passer by who stopped to assist in an argument between defendant and his partner.

R v Daniel Barrs (2015)
Defence in global Carbon Credit fraud.

R v Barrs (2015)
Defence in MTIC / Carbon Credit fraud and money laundering allegation.

Read less

If you would like to instruct Gordon Cole KC or would like help or advice in doing so, please call and talk to our excellent clerking team, led by Chief Executive/Director of Clerking, Paul Cray. Our phone number is +44 (0)20 7583 9241. Alternatively, please email us at chambers@farrarsbuilding.co.uk

For more information about our clerking team, please click here for the clerks page.

Appointments & Memberships


  • Criminal Bar Association

Directory Quotes


Gordon Cole QC is as a leading silk in the Legal 500 for Crime.

‘Experienced in heavyweight serious criminal cases.’
Legal 500 2016

Legal 500 2016 Leading Individual