Tom Worden
Tom Worden is a highly respected criminal law specialist with extensive experience in both defending and prosecuting a wide array of serious and complex criminal cases including fraud and financial crime, homicide and violent offences, organised crime, drug offences, and sexual offences. Renowned for his meticulous preparation and strong court presence, Tom is frequently instructed as both junior alone and led junior counsel in lengthy and demanding trials. He has particular expertise in multi-defendant cases involving large volumes of material.
Tom has also appeared in the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division), successfully handling appeals, and in the High Court, successfully representing clients at appeals by way of case stated.
Testimonials
Ranked In
Cases
Criminal Defence
R v F – (Inner London CC) – junior alone defending in a £15m complex multi-handed mortgage fraud trial. Client found not guilty.
R v A – (Aylesbury CC) – Junior alone defending the principal defendant in a conspiracy to import 100 kilos of cannabis from the US over the dark web.
R v J – (Maidstone Crown Court) – client found not guilty by a jury of the rape of a 17-year-old girl.
R v M – (Canterbury Crown Court) – client found not guilty by a jury of importing 18m worth of cocaine.
R v A – (Luton Crown Court) – led junior defending a 17-year-old in a multi-handed gang-related murder. Client found not guilty of murder and manslaughter.
R v S – (Luton Crown Court) – youth client found not guilty of murder and manslaughter following a trial (led junior).
R v A – (Canterbury Crown Court) – historic multiple rapes of a child under 13.
R v R – (Aylesbury Crown Court) – conspiracy to import over 100 kilos of cannabis from the US.
R v S – (Southwark Crown Court) – a complex £15m mortgage fraud conspiracy.
R v E – (Luton Crown Court) – two-handed attempted murder (led junior).
R v A – (Stafford Crown Court) – Operation Scarf. A modern slavery case in which the client was acquitted of all charges following a submission of no case to answer (led junior).
R v S – (Teesside Crown Court) – Operation Spoonbill. A multi-million-pound Class A drugs conspiracy described as one of Cleveland police’s most complex ever investigations (led junior).
R v SM [2021] EWCA Crim 1917 (Court of Appeal Criminal Division) – S’s sentence for serious sexual offences was reduced on appeal from 26 years (18 years plus 8 years extended licence) to 20 years (14 years plus 6 years extended licence). Tom was instructed after the barrister who had represented S at sentence advised there were no grounds to appeal the 26-year sentence.
Criminal Prosecution
R v N – (Basildon Crown Court) – led junior prosecuting historic child rape allegations with three victims across multiple jurisdictions
R v Z – (Basildon CC) – led junior prosecuting a complex multi-handed county lines Class A drugs conspiracy.
R v P – (Chelmsford Crown Court) – conviction following trial for multiple offences of assault by penetration of a girl aged four.
R v A – (Canterbury Crown Court) – trial for s.18 wounding by stabbing.
DPP v Heaton [2024] EWHC 1808 (Admin) – successful appeal by way of case stated against a magistrates’ court’s decision to acquit a defendant charged with harassing his former girlfriend. The acquittal was substituted with a conviction. Instructed by the CPS Appeals and Review Unit.
R v M and others – (Basildon Crown Court) – Operation Cheese. A multi-handed trial for a Class A county lines drug conspiracy (led junior).
R v M – (Ipswich Crown Court) – two-handed s.18 GBH with intent by stabbing.
R v S – (Southwark Crown Court) – prosecution of a serving police officer for ABH.
R v A – (Croydon Crown Court) – a trial for s.18 GBH by stabbing to the face and neck.
MC v CPS [2022] EWHC 1466 (Admin) – Instructed by the CPS Appeals and Review Unit to respond to an appeal from the Crown Court by way of case stated. The issue was whether the Crown Court had been wrong to find an offence was racially aggravated within the meaning of section 28 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
Professional Memberships
- Criminal Bar Association
- The South Eastern Circuit
- Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
- Grade 3 CPS Counsel
- CPS RASSO panel
Awards, Qualifications & Other
- BPTC – University of Law (Outstanding)
- GDL – University of Law (Distinction)
- MSc International Relations – LSE
- BA History – LSE (2:1)
- Fluent in Spanish
Direct Access
Tom Worden 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.