Background Gavel
Matheos Lefteris
Barrister
mlefteris@rosecourtchambers.com
Year of call:
1997

About

Matheos Lefteris was called to the Bar in 1997. He is a highly experienced defence practitioner who has appeared in numerous murder trials over the last 27 years, particularly at the Central Criminal Court.

Matt was instructed in his first murder at just 2 years call; and frequently appears as leading counsel. Having only ever practised in the field of criminal defence Matt has been instructed across the whole spectrum of criminal matters and has particular experience in cases of conspiracy, those involving multiple defendants and cases of serious violence.

Matt’s overriding philosophy is that preparation is everything, ‘living’ his cases and admitting to having “no life beyond work” until a case is over.

Matt is a ‘duty accredited’ barrister and is frequently instructed to give pre-charge advice. He is a registered vulnerable witness advocacy trainer and has been praised for his focused preparation and his compelling courtroom manner.

‘Matheos is a strikingly good courtroom operator with an unerring eye for the best points. He has an air of unflappability when on his feet which greatly encourages client confidence. He is admired by judges and opponents alike and can always be relied upon to advance his case with meticulous attention to detail and not a little charm.’ Legal 500.

Experience

• Murder and serious violence

• Conspiracy and multi defendant cases

• Fraud and conspiracy to defraud

• Serious sexual offences

Notable Cases

R v H:- Court of Appeal Criminal Division – Instructed in relation to  appeal after the jury returned the ‘wrong’ verdict after trial by mistake.

Notable Pending Cases

R v G: Central Criminal Court – Sole counsel in relation to allegation of attempted murder by shooting fixed for 3 months.

R v K: Wood Green Crown Court – Junior counsel in relation to an allegation of murder by 16 year old.

R v A: Southwark Crown Court – Sole counsel in relation to an allegation of Fraudulent Evasion of Duty relating to multiple tonnes of tobacco.

R v S: Southampton Crown Court – Sole counsel in Death by Dangerous Driving allegation.

Notable Murder & Attempted Murder Trials

R v A: Central Criminal Court – Sole counsel representing a 16 year old accused of joint enterprise shooting.

R v T: Central Criminal Court – Junior counsel in relation to multi handed murder and manslaughter retrial.

R v H: Central Criminal Court – Junior counsel in multi handed murder trial lasting 5 months involving cross examination of expert pathologist as to cause of death.

R v K: Central Criminal Court – Junior counsel in relation to a murder by shooting involving expert evidence and CCTV footage of the offence.

R v M: Central Criminal Court – Junior counsel in lengthy multi handed murder trial in which M was the only defendant acquitted; involving cut throat defences and a vulnerable defendant.

R v M: Central Criminal Court – Sole counsel instructed to defend in multi handed murder/attempted murder. After detailed submissions over 2 days all allegations against M were dismissed.

R v W: Central Criminal Court - Leading junior for defendant charged with assisting an offender in murder trial repeatedly halted due to Covid. 58 day trial from November 2020;

R v D: Central Criminal Court - Murder/Violent disorder. Leading junior in 3 month trial involving the murder of one man and the stabbing of his father. Case involved numerous issues including potential cut-throat defences, competing interests and the disclosure of thousands of pages of evidence on the day of trial. Prosecuted by first senior treasury counsel. Subsequently reported [2014] EWCA Crim 1154;

R v I: Central Criminal Court  - Murder of a promising young athlete in Peckham. Case subsequently reported in relation to hearsay provisions. Defendant acquitted after cell site expert was challenged as to his flawed conclusions. Client became the only remanded defendant in Feltham to take and pass his A levels whilst in custody and is currently a commentator on social/youth issues and former policy advisor to the government. Adeojo & Nyamupfukudza [2013] EWCA Crim 41; Author of ‘That Peckham Boy’ 2023.

R v B: Central Criminal Court - Murder of 16 year old on the streets of Pimlico in January 2013. Reported in all national newspapers given the extreme ferocity of the attack;

R v C: Central Criminal Court - Murder. Shooting. Represented a defendant with whom the victim was involved in a gang related feud. Defendant was tracked via his mobile phone travelling to the scene, on CCTV fleeing the scene and tracked leaving the area;

R v G: Central Criminal Court - Murder. Instructed to represent defendant in relation to the murder of a man in a disused Tottenham house. All 4 defendants entered guilty pleas to manslaughter and were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. Argued (alone) on behalf of 3 defendants before the Court of Appeal. Sentenced reduced to 7 years. [2011] EWCA Crim 435;

R v K: Central Criminal Court - Killing of 2 year old child by East London mother;

R v M: Central Criminal Court - Murder of teenager in Ealing, West London. Case involved consideration of blood trails (drip, drop, spatter, cast off etc);

R v P: Central Criminal Court - Client charged with assisting offenders in relation to North London stabbing. Client convicted in absence after fleeing to Cyprus

R v H: Central Criminal Court - Murder. Killing of 2 year old Ainlee Walker by her parents in a case strikingly similar to that of Victoria Climbie’s case earlier that year. Case led to a review of care and child protection practices when dealing with aggressive or violent parents.

R v C: Central Criminal Court - Murder. Stabbing in East London involving a defendant found unfit to plead and subsequent retrial once able to give instructions to his legal team

R v D: Central Criminal Court - Sole Counsel in case of defendant charged with the murder of his wife after years of torment. Prosecution accepted plea to manslaughter on day of trial. Subsequent successful argument that the defendant did not pose a threat to the public.

R v O: Woolwich Crown Court - Murder of promising young medical student in Romford;

R v A: Norwich Crown Court - Murder by husband of ex-wife;

R v A: Kingston Crown Court - Murder of 19 year old victim on the streets of Edmonton in gang related shooting. Case involved 3 other defendants, CCTV evidence of the shooting, cell site and evidence of gang association.

Notable Serious Crime Trials

R v M: St Albans Crown Court - Leading junior counsel in multi handed people smuggling operation;

R v T:  Kingston Crown Court - 3 month multi handed firearms conspiracy;

R v Ajay & Limby - Leading ‘county lines’ authority. Court of Appeal [2017] EWCA Crim 1011;

R v AS: Isleworth Crown Court - Defendant charged and acquitted of wounding with intent after stabbing the complainant 5 times.

R v O: Winchester Crown Court - Importation and Money laundering. Leading counsel in 6 week multi-handed trial involving the importation of 30 kilos of heroin from Nigeria and the subsequent laundering of the proceeds. Case involved some 60,000 pages of evidence and months of surveillance evidence.

Notable Fraud Trials

R v Y: Central Criminal Court - Fraud. Leading counsel in 3 month multi-handed fraud involving high value Cisco computer equipment. Defendant arrested in a warehouse surrounded by stolen/illegally obtained equipment. Case involved surveillance evidence as between the defendants and numerous schedules of telephone evidence;

R v R: Central Criminal Court -  Fraud. 9 handed fraud in relation to the fraudulent use of genuine bank customer accounts and the transferring of monies to members of the conspiracy;

R v C: Blackfriars Crown Court - Money laundering. Represented defendant charged in relation to large scale transferring of monies out of the UK involving an Organised Crime Network;

R v A: Southwark Crown Court -  Leading counsel in relation to an allegation of the laundering of over £64,000,000 over a 6 year period using an MSB (Money Service Business). The trial proceeded in absence, involved over 25,000 pages of prosecution evidence and detailed consideration of ‘Hawala’ banking including expert evidence re banking methods;

R v R: St Albans Crown Court - Fraud. Multi-million pound mortgage fraud involving the obtaining of false/fraudulent bridging loans. Over 10,000 pages of prosecution evidence served. Case also involved as defendants a solicitor and non-practising barrister.

R v C: Blackfriars Crown Court - Fraud. Tax fraud involving over £11,000,000 fraudulently claimed from HMRC by the defendant working as a chartered accountant. Defendant devised and implemented his own system calculating tax liabilities for self employed workers.

R v S : Isleworth Crown Court - Fraud. Leading counsel instructed to represented one of 2 defendants in relation to the largest case of car ‘clocking’ ever brought.

Notable Sexual Offences Trials

R v SG: Snaresbrook Crown Court - Sexual assault of a child. Represented the defendant in relation to 3 counts of sexual assault against a 12 year old friend of the family. Trial conducted in absence and acquitted;

R v J: Wood Green Crown Court - Rape. Instructed to represent Belgian national charged with the rape of his 12 year old niece during a trip to the UK.  The cross examination of the complainant was described by the trial judge as “one of the best examples of cross examination I have seen”.