
Peter Guest
Peter Guest is a highly respected and experienced barrister, specialising in serious criminal law, regulatory law, and fraud & financial crime.
Recognised as a leading junior in fraud by Legal 500, Peter has built a reputation for his expertise in complex and high-stakes cases.
In serious criminal law, Peter handles a broad range of cases, including murder, firearms offenses, drug conspiracies, and serious sexual offenses. He has significant experience with historic sexual offenses and is particularly skilled in working with vulnerable defendants and witnesses, including those facing mental health challenges. Peter is frequently instructed as leading counsel on these demanding cases.
Peter’s expertise in fraud and financial crime spans both corporate and individual clients, advising on matters related to money laundering, fraud, corruption, and bribery. His experience includes defending clients against investigations by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
In the regulatory field, Peter has represented clients in a variety of cases, including those involving the Environment Agency, a rugby union manager at a RFU disciplinary tribunal, and a defendant accused of polluting South Wales’ main water reserve.
Additionally, Peter is a recognised authority on confiscation and cash forfeiture under the Proceeds of Crime Act, providing expert counsel in this highly specialised area.
Testimonials
"Peter is a phenomenal cross-examiner. He is a great trial strategist. He is very experienced and unflappable."
Legal 500
"Peter Guest is a leading figure at the London Bar in defending criminal fraud charges"
‘Peter has a wonderful balance of personal warmth and dogged professional determination which appeals to all of his clients. His written opinions are always concise, and his courtroom manner has jurors spellbound.’
"A highly-respected criminal defence specialist"
“an accomplished courtroom performer” who “always impresses”
"With more than 30 years' experience and a proven track record of success"
Chambers and Partners
"Solicitors say he's one of the best advocates they have seen."
Legal 500
"He has real authority and presence in the courtroom, and can be firm with judges and witnesses if required."
Legal 500
“The first barrister to really understand me and my case” and “the perfect cross-examiner”
Client recommendation
"Before your speech, I felt we were 6-nil down. Now we are 7-6 up"
Client recommendation
"The best final speech I have ever heard in a fraud"
Judge praise
"It was a joy to watch you work"
Judge praise
Ranked In
Cases
Asset Forfeiture & Confiscation
R v S – contested application for appointment of an enforcement receiver and increase in available amount.
R v Nadarajah – leading counsel in lengthy confiscation hearing (not trial counsel).
R v Nicolas – 2 week confiscation hearing in an international fraud (not trial counsel)
R v MN – confiscation appeal.
Criminal Defence
Murder and Serious Violence
R v J – assisting an offender, following shooting of a youth.
R v Ball – manslaughter.
R v Ibrahim – GBH (reduced from original charge of murder).
R v G– encouraging his 8 year old son to commit acts of terrorism.
R v Shilling – principal defendant in conspiracy to import automatic weapons – “largest ever seizure”.
R v Lotts – murder.
R v Sulkaj – murder.
R v Tasker – appeal against a murder conviction.
R v JN – murder.
R v Johnson – leading counsel in contract shooting.
R v Dalzell – attempted murder.
R v Ali – Riot.
Drugs Offences
R v Gould – principal defendant in conspiracy to deal Class A drugs on South Coast.
R v Ruckledge – conspiracy to import and supply huge quantities of cocaine and cannabis, hidden in chicken carcasses.
R v Stanton – supply of 100+ kg Class A – Operation Rodrigo.
R v Parish– importation of 200kg cocaine.
R v Samad – leading counsel for principal defendant dealing in multi-kilo transactions across county borders.
R v Redfern – leading counsel acting for a corrupt police officer, dealing in drugs.
R v Simmons – multi-kilo heroin dealing.
R v Poole – multi-kilo cocaine dealing.
R v Slowey – leading counsel in multi-kilo heroin dealing.
R v Stanton – appeal resulting from conviction following importation of 300+ kg cocaine.
R v McDonald – multi-kilo cocaine dealing.
R v Scott – multi-kilo cocaine dealing.
R v Bullici – leading counsel in multi-kilo heroin dealing.
Serious Crime
R v T – conspiracy to commit armed robbery of security vans.
R v Nguyen – leading counsel for organiser of people trafficking from Asia.
R v Lloyd – leading counsel for armed robber of security vans.
R v AS – armed robbery of a jeweller by a youth.
R v Nicolov – professional safe cracker.
R v Gadzijeva – leading counsel in trial for people trafficking, slavery and prostitution.
R v Coombs – leading counsel in professional armed kidnap.
R v Briah – kidnap, blackmail and false imprisonment.
R v Hoque – rape.
R v Baker – perverting the course of justice.
Fraud & Financial Crime
R v M– leading counsel in fraud and handling trial; successfully led the defence argument resisting a prosecution appeal against earlier terminating rulings.
R v Solanki – leading counsel for principal of a money service business, which sent millions of pounds of criminal money to India.
R v Zhang – principal defendant in £1.6m money laundering.
R v Granger – leading counsel for principal defendant in conspiracy to launder the proceeds of stolen plant and machinery.
R v Francis – leading counsel for defendant, who laundered the proceeds of a housing benefit fraud.
R v Gill – money laundering.
R v Zhu – money laundering £400k.
R v Hassini – TOWIE star in boiler room fraud selling coloured diamonds.
R v Skarbalius – fraudulent gang master activity and property frauds.
R v Say – leading counsel in pension fraud, involving investments in the Bahamas.
R v Dyszko – cash for crash.
R v Andrews – leading counsel for principal defendant in mortgage frauds.
R v Illingworth – leading counsel for defendant charged with building frauds.
R v Hughes – leading counsel for principal defendant engaged in the fraudulent importation of alcohol.
R v Shah – Leading counsel for barrister accused of mortgage fraud.
R v Simmons – boiler room fraud.
R v Magon – diversion fraud.
R v Saoussi-Tafroutti – leading counsel in duty fraud.
R v Khatab – leading counsel in investment fraud.
R v Fletcher – accountant charged with VAT fraud.
R v Qazi – mortgage fraud.
R v Beard – leading counsel in VAT fraud.
R v Morgan – leading counsel in duty fraud.
R v Roberts – leading counsel in duty fraud.
R v Gulyas – leading counsel in duty fraud.
R v Brown – money laundering.
R v Barkalov – money laundering.
R v Dennard – leading counsel in duty fraud.
R v Gell – leading counsel in duty fraud (Operations Fajita and Stockade).
Operation Methuselah – leading counsel in duty fraud appeal.
R v Duckney – leading counsel in duty fraud.
R v Bajwa – leading counsel in duty fraud.
R v Saini – insider dealing (FSA prosecution).
R v MG – cheating the revenue.
R v NB – money laundering.
R v DC – MTIC fraud and money laundering.
R v Richmond – leading counsel in MTIC and VAT fraud.
R v SA – MTIC fraud.
R v BR – duty fraud.
R v EJ – insurance and revenue fraud.
Regulatory Law
R v C – Environment Agency prosecution following events which led to a massive factory fire.
Representation of a mortgage broker in FCA proceedings in the Upper Tribunal.
Representation of a rugby union county manager before a RFU disciplinary tribunal.
R v Jones – polluted South Wales’ main water reserve.
Professional Memberships
- Criminal Bar Association
- South-Eastern Circuit
Awards, Qualifications & Other
- Recorder – 2000
- Authorised to try serious sexual offences.
Direct Access
Peter Guest is qualified to accept instructions directly from clients and is registered under the Bar Council’s Public Access Scheme, meaning that members of the public who seek specialist advice can come directly to him. In addition, he welcomes instructions from solicitors, in-house law departments, qualified foreign lawyers, and clients licensed by the Bar Council to give instructions directly to barristers under the Bar Council’s Licensed Access Scheme. For more information please visit our Direct Access page here.