YEAR OF CALL: 1979

Mark Paltenghi is an immensely experienced barrister with more than 45 years practice at the criminal Bar.  He has prosecuted cases involving attempted murder, kidnap, blackmail, death by dangerous driving, armed robbery, human trafficking, perverting the course of justice, complex fraud, immigration points-based fraud, large-scale drug importations and terrorism.

He is regularly instructed by the Crown Prosecution Service as a leading junior and has prosecuted major cases on behalf of the Flying Squad, Trident, and the Middle Market Drugs Project.

Mark is particularly noted for his expertise in the prosecution of complex fraud. His practice in this field includes instructions from the Serious Fraud Office in two contested cases and the Fraud Prosecution Service. He has developed a reputation for presenting intricate financial evidence in a clear and effective manner that is easily understood by juries.  In addition, Mark has extensive experience in confiscation proceedings [including the appointment of enforcement receivers] and specialist knowledge in mobile phone and cell site analysis, making him a highly sought-after advocate in complex cases.

NOTABLE CASES PROSECUTED

Attempted murder at the Notting Hill Carnival

R v W (2025)

D was convicted by a jury at The Old Bailey of attempted murder that arose out of a ferocious attack at the Notting Hill Carnival in August 2024, in which he stabbed the victim five times in the stomach and back with a Zombie knife.  Four of the wounds were life-threatening. The victim did not know D and was unable to provide any apparent motive for this attack. In his evidence, D said he had taken the knife to the carnival for his own protection and produced it in self-defence of himself and his friends when they were set upon by a larger group of males - that included the victim - one of whom had produced a knife and threatened them.  He will be sentenced in August 2025.

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Attempted murder/defence of insanity

R v G (2023)

During a heated argument in the early hours with his wife in their flat, D stabbed her at least 30 times in the head, neck and torso; one of the wounds slit her throat. It is only because the victim was rushed to hospital so quickly that she survived. 

At trial, D did not dispute wounding his partner, but relied upon the rarely used defence of insanity under the M’Naghten rules. It was a particularly difficult case to prosecute because : (a) The Crown was unable to call the victim as, 2½ years on, she was still unfit to give evidence; and (b) both defence psychiatrists agreed - as did the Crown's expert - that D’s mental health at the time of the offence satisfied the relevant criteria under the rules. D did not give evidence, but relied upon the psychiatric evidence.  The prosecution case was advanced on the basis that this was a "domestic argument" which had been prompted by D suspecting that his wife was having an affair and it culminated in D losing his temper.  At the end of a 2-week trial, the jury concluded that the defendant (upon whom the burden of proof lay) had failed - on the balance of probabilities - to establish the defence of insanity and convicted him of attempted murder.

Soliciting to murder

R v J (2021)

Case based exclusively on WhatsApp messages sent to an innocent third-party and covertly recorded calls made by D from prison to the proposed victim (who declined to co-operate with the police) after he had been arrested.   D gave evidence, but was convicted.

Aggravated arson at The Travelodge, Brentford

R v N (2020)

D was found guilty of two counts of aggravated arson where he set a fire inside a wooden-lined shed next to a converted church in Brentford comprising 21 flats.  The conflagration spread through the roof, over a dividing brick wall and up through the cladding on the side of the Travelodge hotel next door.  No one was hurt, but over 150 adults who were asleep in both the hotel and converted flats at the time had to be evacuated.

Conspiracy to cheat the public revenue

R v S and 4 others (2014)

This case arose out of a sophisticated, 5-handed, multi-million pound, VAT repayment fraud made by D Ltd on the back of genuine invoices totalling £10 million rendered to it by a number of Premier league football clubs for the sale of advertising space ostensibly ordered by the Tourism Board of a Middle Eastern Government for which D Ltd was ostensibly acting.  As the invoices were not due for payment under the terms of the contracts until some months after the relevant VAT accounting period had concluded, D Ltd was able to reclaim the full VAT element even though it had not yet paid a penny.  In fact, D Ltd had never been appointed to act as agents for the Tourism Board nor had any funds been set aside for it to enter into advertising contracts on its behalf.  All the defendants were convicted at trial.

Dating website fraud

R v B (2022)

D befriended four wealthy middle-aged, divorcees on a variety of dating websites and conned them out of their life savings on the promise of high returns from making investments on the stock market.  The victims’ evidence was supported by 1000s of pages of WhatsApp messages.  D gave evidence, but was convicted.  Sentenced to consecutive sentences totalling 12 years’ imprisonment which is believed to be the longest sentence ever imposed for a romance fraud.  Led James Caldwell.

Fraud by abuse of position

R v W (2025)

Case concerned a corrupt bank manager convicted by a jury of conspiracy to defraud High Street banks.  He had abused his role as a business manager at Barclays to facilitate the opening of hundreds of bank accounts under the guise of sham sole trader businesses. These accounts were intended to be used for the laundering of funds obtained by fraud against individuals, companies and charities. By the time of his arrest, almost £7 million of tainted funds had been laundered through the accounts.  Led Dominic Hockley.

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Multi-handed immigration fraud

R v S and 9 others (2014)

This case concerned a 10-handed immigration fraud in which the defendants conspired to facilitate the commission of a breach of immigration law by obtaining Tier 1 Highly Skilled Migrant status, for non-EU citizens by producing false documentation.  Case broken down into two 5-handed trials to make it more manageable for a jury.  Five were convicted at the first trial that ultimately led to late guilty pleas at the second.

Evading the duty payable on imported cigarettes

R v K and 6 others (2016)

Case concerned a 7-handed smuggling operation in which 20 million cigarettes were imported into the Port of Felixstowe from Dubai via Hong Kong inside two shipping containers - with a cover load of toys - thereby evading millions of pounds in duty and taxes.  The operation was bank-rolled by two millionaires who pleaded guilty; all five of their lieutenants/drivers were convicted at trial.  A confiscation order for £4.5 million was upheld in the Court of Appeal.

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