Daniel Calder

Daniel is an established and busy trial advocate, and regularly prosecutes and defends serious and complex criminal cases in the Crown Court. His practice covers serious violent and sexual offences including inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, rape, sexual assault, armed robbery, firearms, fraud and cases involving the large-scale importation, production and supply of drugs.

He has extensive experience of prosecuting and defending applications under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA), and has been instructed by UKBA, the Home Office and HMRC to prosecute applications for detention and forfeiture of cash under POCA. He also accepts instructions to prosecute on behalf of the RSPCA, the National Probation Service and the Youth Offending Team.

Daniel has a particular specialism in criminal appeals, having spent 18 months in employed practice at the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division), providing legal support and advice to the Registrar of Criminal Appeals and the senior judiciary. He has worked on high-profile reported criminal conviction and sentence appeals of the utmost seriousness, up to and including murder, invoking highly technical and complex principles of appellate law. He has an insider’s knowledge and experience of the practice of the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) and has been assigned by the Registrar to appear on behalf of unrepresented litigants at the Court of Appeal.

Daniel regularly acts as led junior and/or disclosure junior in serious cases involving high-value white collar crime and allegations of non-recent sexual offending. He co-defended in the UK’s first prosecution for Film Tax Credit fraud, a complex and high-profile conspiracy attracting international media coverage.

He is appointed as a Level 3 prosecutor on the Crown Prosecution Service Advocate Panel and has also been approved as an advocate on the CPS Rape and Serious Sexual Abuse Panel list.

Regulatory and Disciplinary Law

Daniel is regularly instructed to prosecute by local authorities in criminal and regulatory matters, including trademark and copyright infringements, licensing appeals and Trading Standards prosecutions. Daniel accepts instructions to advise and represent in all aspects of Prison Law, and is experienced at successfully representing defendants at prison disciplinary adjudication hearings.

Road Traffic Law

Daniel has extensive experience of motoring offences, regularly defending private clients in Magistrates’ courts across the country. He has been instructed to defend section 172 RTA 1988 offences (“failure to furnish”), allegations of driving with excess alcohol, speeding and careless or dangerous driving. Daniel has successfully defended in numerous “exceptional hardship” arguments, helping clients to avoid “totting-up” disqualifications, and has particular experience of special reasons arguments.