James Caldwell
YEAR OF CALL 2011
James Caldwell is a highly regarded criminal law specialist with extensive experience in cases of fraud and financial crime, homicide and serious violence, drugs and organised crime and sexual offences. Known for his attention to detail, clarity and court presence, James is regularly instructed as leading or led junior in lengthy and challenging trials. James is particularly experienced in multi-defendant cases involving large volumes of material, including digital evidence, financial data and medical evidence. James also has experience in the Court of Appeal for both the prosecution and defence.
Notable Cases
FRAUD AND FINANCIAL CRIME
R v B & others (for trial in 2027)
Prosecuting 29 defendants for a nationwide money laundering operation worth £59m. Led by Paul Cavin KC.
R v S & others (for trial in 2027)
Prosecuting seven defendants involved in a conspiracy to supply millions of duty evaded cigarettes.
R v B & others (for trial in 2026):
Prosecuting five defendants for involvement in scheme to defraud HMRC of income tax payments.
R v B & others (2025)
Prosecuted seven defendants for bribes of £1.7 million paid by civil engineering contractors to senior employees at two multinational energy companies. Led by James Dawes KC.
R v S & other (2024)
Prosecuted two defendants for fraudulently evading £1.5m duty on 5 million cigarettes.
R v F (2023)
Prosecuted the Metropolitan Police’s largest ever fraud investigation following the sale to fraudsters by the defendant of ‘spoofing’ technology (hiding true caller identity) resulting in £100m losses to victims worldwide. Led by John Ojakovoh.
R v D & others (2023)
Prosecuted three defendants for unauthorised use of trademark relating to a high value counterfeit clothing operation and associated money laundering. Led by Mark Gadsden.
HOMICIDE AND SERIOUS VIOLENCE
R v H (2024)
Prosecuted a 16-year-old boarding school pupil who attempted to murder two roommates and a teacher with claw hammers. The defence raised was sleepwalking and involved evidence from world-leading experts in the field of sleep science. The case has significant implications for the law of automatism. Led by James Dawes KC.
R v F & others (2024)
Prosecuted six prison officers charged with s.18 GBH and misconduct in public office after an inmate sustained permanent brain damage in a cell attack. Issues of causation and use of force. Led by James Dawes KC.
R v W & others (2024)
Defended a man charged with assisting his son and stepson after they had murdered a local drug dealer.
R v H (2023)
Prosecuted defendant for attempted murder following a random attack on a landlord and landlady outside their public house.
R v A (2023)
Defended a man with complex mental health problems for attempting to murder his flatmate by stabbing.
R v N & others (2023)
Prosecuted four defendants for ill-treating residents at a care home for adults with learning disabilities, involving complex disclosure and care regulations.
DRUGS AND ORGANISED CRIME
R v K & others (for trial in 2026)
Prosecuting six defendants involved in a conspiracy to steal and ‘ring’ vintage Land Rovers and classic cars worth over £1 million.
R v M & others (for trial in 2025)
Prosecuting six defendants for conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis in London and the south of England. Leading Imogen Nelson.
R v B & others (2024)
Prosecuted ten defendants involved in running the ‘Blue Eyes’ line, a large Class A drugs network across London and the South East.
R v Payton & others (2023)
Prosecuted eight defendants for a national conspiracy involving over 100kg of cocaine and firearms including AK47s. Led by Mark Gadsden.
R v S & others (2022)
Defended one of seven defendants charged with conspiracy to supply at least 60kg of cocaine in Hampshire. Leading junior.
SEXUAL OFFENCES
R v A (2025)
Defended man accused of raping a 15 year old girl in a park.
R v H (2024)
Defended a 16-year-old boy with Autistic Spectrum Disorder charged with raping four vulnerable victims. Case involved extensive mobile phone and social media material.
R v A (2023)
Defended man accused of the sexual abuse of his daughter between the ages of 8 and 15.
R v O (2022)
Defended man charged with historic rape of three family members in the mid-1990s.
MEMBERSHIPS
CPS Advocate Panel, Level 4
CPS Fraud Specialist Panel, Level 4
CPS Serious Crime Group Specialist Panel, Level 3
Rape and Child Sexual Abuse Specialist Panel
Criminal Bar Association
ACCREDITATIONS
Registered Pupil Supervisor
EDUCATION
BA (Hons) History and Spanish, First Class, University of Sussex LLB (Hons) Law, First Class, University of Law