Pieter Briegel

Practice Profile

Pieter is a skilful and highly experienced barrister, specialising in the defence of serious crime, ranging from murder to fraud. Pieter is instructed as Lead Advocate in appropriate cases and is known for his fastidious preparation and calm yet robust advocacy.

His practice includes offences prosecuted by the Organised Crime Division and the Central Fraud and Welfare Division and covers cases involving homicide, the supply of Class A drugs, armed robberies, large scale conspiracies generally as well as the full range of the most serious sexual allegations.

Pieter’s fraud work encompasses alleged conspiracies related to VAT, mortgage and ghost employee frauds and the facilitation of breaches of immigration controls and also money laundering as well as cases involving Trading Standards prosecutions by local authorities . Pieter also regularly undertakes matters relating to confiscation, asset forfeiture and restraint.

He has extensive experience of representing and advising clients on the mental health aspects of criminal work, relating not only to insanity and fitness to plead and fitness to stand trial, but also the ramifications of Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Recent Case Examples include:

• R v B (2021) Instructed in an eight-defendant case involving allegations of charity fraud.
• R v R (2020) Instructed in an eight defendant violent disorder.
• R v K (2020) Trial on three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
• R v R (2019) Instructed to represent a prison visitor accused of conveying an article (drugs) into a prison.  Proceedings discontinued following service of the Defence Statement.
• R v D (2019) Instructed in case involving the seizure of £630,000 drugs and possession of a firearm.

Pieter's Privacy Policy can be downloaded here.

News

• R v. C & ors [Kingston] 2016

  Post Office Fraud

  Pieter Briegel defended in this 8 week trial of a Post Office worker, accused with 5 others of a complex high value fraud against his employers. Instructed by Thomas Boyd Whyte.

• R v. N & ors [Bristol] 2015

  Conspiracy to produce crystal methamphetamine, amphetamine and MDMA

  Pieter Briegel led Hannah Wyatt in this 12 week Bristol trial, defending a senior member of a conspiracy to produce crystal methamphetamine, amphetamine and MDMA. An unusual case due to the lack of knowledge about crystal methamphetamine in the UK and involving over 500 hours of covert audio recordings. Instructed by Blackfords LLP.

• R v. B & ors [Basildon] 2014

  Conspiracy to Supply Class A drugs

  Pieter Briegel led Danny Robinson in this 12 week drugs conspiracy trial in which an undercover Police officer was subjected to attack and had to jump from a first floor window to flee his assailants. Instructed by Thomas Boyd Whyte.