Ben Holt

Practice Profile

Ben Holt is a specialist criminal barrister. He has been instructed as leading and led junior for the prosecution and defence in the full range of criminal cases; from homicide to fraud and money laundering. Ben was appointed Junior Treasury Counsel, based at the Central Criminal Court, in April 2024 by the Attorney General.

Ben regularly receives instructions from the full range of Specialist Units within the CPS; both as led and leading junior. He is frequently instructed by the Homicide Unit, Special Casework Units [London and the South-East], Specialist Fraud Division, International Justice and Organised Crime Unit [now SEOCID] and the Counter Terrorism Division.

He has been instructed in a number of murder, attempted murder and road fatality cases. In addition, Ben is instructed in substantial cases involving fraud and international money laundering; both for the prosecution and defence. He has undertaken a significant number of cases as part of Op Northleigh; the investigation into the Grenfell Tower disaster. He has prosecuted (alone and as a leading junior) numerous class A drug conspiracies where the evidence comes from data obtained from Operation Venetic.

Ben has specific experience in dealing with complicated disclosure issues; these have included the handling of particularly sensitive material and reviewing cases which have involved evidence from Covert Human Intelligence Sources and RIPA warrants. He has been instructed by the CPS to review disclosure on various matters and has worked together with the NCA and specialist units of the Metropolitan Police in this regard. For example, he was instructed to review the sensitive disclosure as part of Op Melrose (the investigation into the 39 Vietnamese migrants who died).

Ben has also advised on a wide range of cases pre-charge; including homicide, road fatalities and large-scale fraud investigations. Advice has included matters relating to LPP material.

As Treasury Counsel, Ben regularly advises the Attorney General’s Office in relation to Unduly Lenient Sentences. He frequently appears in the Court of Appeal; instructed by the AGO to argue the Reference.

Ben has spent a 9-month period of secondment with HSBC conducting a past-business review into mis-sold interest rate hedging products.

Ben's Privacy Policy can be downloaded here.

Appointments

• Junior Treasury Counsel

Panel Appointments:

• SFO – Panel B
• CPS General Crime – Level 4
• CPS Special Crime – Level 4
• CPS Fraud – Level 4
• CPS Counter Terrorism – Level 3

News

• R v SP [Inner London CC] 2024

  Attempted Murder

  Prosecution counsel in an attempted murder trial. The defendant went to the home address of the victim in the early hours of the morning and slashed her throat. Instructed by CPS, London.

• Operation Northleigh [Isleworth Crown Court] 2024

  Family Fraud following Grenfell Disaster

  Leading prosecution counsel in an eight-week trial. All defendants were members of the same family. They were charged with various allegations of fraud that arose from representations made in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower disaster.  Instructed by CPS, SCU.

• R v BE [Wood Green CC] 2023

  Murder

  Prosecution of a man charged with murder. Instructed by CPS, Homicide.

  Led by Bill Boyce KC.

   

• Op Melrose [CCC] 2023

  People-smuggling gang linked to 39 migrant deaths in Essex

  Ben Holt was instructed as lead prosecution counsel in this trial that arose from the investigation into the thirty-nine Vietnamese nationals who died in the rear of a lorry. Ben was previously instructed as led junior [led by Bill Emlyn-Jones KC] in the prosecution of a man for thirty-nine counts of manslaughter.  Instructed by CPS, SEOCID.

  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-67580615

  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-52206257

• Operation Westable [CCC] 2023

  Murder & Prevention of Lawful Burial

  Successful prosecution of three defendants charged with murder and prevention of a lawful burial. The trial took three months. The prosecution called family members of the defendants in order to prove the case. Defendants jailed for life, minimum term thirty-four years. The Judge concluded that it was a sadistic murder.  Instructed by CPS, Homicide.

  Led by Allison Hunter KC [now HHJ Hunter KC].

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