Henry Blackshaw

Henry Blackshaw is a specialist criminal Barrister who acts for both prosecution and
defence in cases of the utmost gravity.

Henry regularly appears as a Leading Junior. He is an established Category 4 Prosecutor and is on the CPS Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Panel. He has a particularly strong ability in cases involving drugs, gang-related criminal activity, homicide, rape and serious sexual violence, motoring and vehicle crime and money laundering.

Henry is highly skilled in setting strategies for the further collection and preparation of
evidence for trial. He is proficient and confident in the use of technology, particularly in the
presentation of evidence in Court.

CRIMINAL LAW

Drugs & Money Laundering

“Operation Aylesbury” (leading Junior) – Prosecution of a conspiracy where nine defendants were charged with conspiracy to launder the proceeds of a large scale “car chopping” operation. All defendants convicted, five after trial.

“Operation Nicobar” – Prosecution of a large Class A drug dealing team in Bury. Prosecution based on extensive police surveillance evidence.

R v Noonan, Perry, and Beaumont – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-24157394

R v Surriya Bi and Asia Bi – https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/jailed-rochdale-sisters-major-drug-6087320

“Operation Marine 1 & 2” (Afzal and Others) – Prosecution of a number of Class A drug
dealing teams in and around Bury. Based on extensive undercover police and telephone
evidence.

“Operation Frond” (leading Junior) – Prosecution of a series of Class A drug conspiracies based in Middleton and North Manchester following undercover police operation.

“Operation Perryville” (leading Junior) – Series of prosecutions of Class A drug dealing teams where extensive phone tracking analysis enabled the structure of the teams to be established. The consequent identification of the teams’ organisers and their roles has resulted in many of the sentences being significantly longer than is usual in such “test purchaser” cases.

“Operation Rigging” – Seven defendant conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

“Operation Palamino” (leading Junior) – Large scale Class A drug tracking and money
laundering. Nine jointly indicted defendants with very extensive evidence spanning a period of four years.

“Operation Bluebeard” – 23 defendant undercover class A drug purchasing operation.
R v Woodcock and Others – Conspiracy to commit armed robberies. Used extensive facial and body mapping to help prove a complex circumstantial case.

“Operation Saluki” –18 defendant undercover class A drug purchasing operation.
Series of cases arising out of “Operation Vendor” – Involving very large scale importation of controlled drugs.

Operation Quartz (Leading Junior) – Prosecution of large-scale amphetamine manufacture
and other drug dealing. Surveillance lead investigation.

Operation Teleut (Leading Junior). International tracking of Crystal Meth. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/crystal-meth-holiday-photos-gang-15204589

R v Valli. Large scale cannabis cultivation and subsequent very substantial POCA recovery. See: https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/15784236.bolton-cannabis-criminals-ordered-to-hand-over-more-than-1-million/

R v Campbell (Leading Junior). Prosecutions for money laundering based on lifestyle and links to organised crime. See: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4935743/matalan-worker-benetsfraud-drug-money/

Aviation Crime

R v Murgatroyd. Trial of a pilot for illegal commercial flying and reckless endangerment of his aircraft. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/pilot-jailedcrash-landing-risking-15981019

R v Copeland. Representation of an airline captain who was over the prescribed limit of alcohol for flying. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-48199429

Sexual Offences

R v Gavin – Prosecution of 82-year old ex-social worker found guilty of sexually abusing boy in care in the 1970s. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-44682166
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/twisted-paedophile-former-social-worker14848484

Osman and Others – Prosecution of a “Gang Rape” trial where the 16-year old victim had been groomed and lured to the location. http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/schoolgirl-gang-raped-after-being-10810544

R v A P – Successful defence of a social worker on historic sex abuse allegations. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2877826/female-social-worker-cleared-child-sex-abuse/

R v Nazir – Prosecution of the “University Prowler”, a sex offender who was travelling the length of the country targeting female undergraduate accommodation. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ukwales-south-east-wales-36401343

R v Mowled Yussuf and Others – Successful prosecution of three Somali men who gang-raped a 16-year-old girl in the bathroom of hotel where they had stayed to celebrate Eid. They were jailed for 30 years.

R v Eddie Piwko – Online grooming where “Attempting to commit a child sexual offence” used to indict behaviour which fell short of a completed offence, where the prosecution could not prove that the defendant had met any of the girls he had been grooming – Manchester Evening News coverage. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/groomerjailed-despite-claiming-bid-8571756

R v John Quigley – Prosecution of a sensitive retrial involving historic sexual allegations. Manchester Evening News coverage. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/child-rapist-brought-justice-after-7617996

R v Raymond Hawthorn – A Pimp set up an escort agency offering young men and teenage boys for sex. 10 years imprisonment . Bolton News coverage. – https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/child-rapist-brought-justice-after-7617996

R v Christopher Holmes – Manchester Evening News coverage. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/christopher-holmes-raped-unconscious-girl-6729079

R v Hicks – Follow link for coverage during the trial. https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/9784037.young-girls-were-groomed-for-abuse/
Follow link for coverage after trial – https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/10190813.paedophile-caretaker-is-jailed-for-four-years/

R v Albarouni – Stranger rape, please Click Here for coverage from the Manchester Evening News.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-rape-victim-687362

R v Booth and Gilder – Child Sexual Exploitation and Prostitution. Follow link for details.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/im-not-a-pimp-sayswoman-688931

R v Robinson – Historic sex offences against two young girls.

R v Occlestone – Historic Sex abuse. 15-year sentence for crimes committed in 1980’s. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-20609946

R v Lynam – Rape of a vulnerable person.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-20609946

R v Galbraith – 20-year sentence following guilty verdict on 15 charges. Bolton News coverage.
https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/10116313.nightmare-abuser-jailed-for-20-years/

R v Davies. Middle aged female offender on a male child.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-41683850

R v Timblin. Lengthy trial of a combination of serious historic and recent oences.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/notorious-drug-dealer-who-called-13175604

Henry is also on the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences panel and has prosecuted a
number of cases of rape and family abuse, both with a recent past and historic
allegations where there has been a long delay (25-years +) from commission of the
alleged offences and their prosecution. Also involving extensive Social Services and
other third party records

Murder

R v Rymel Downer – Attempted murder by way of drive-by shooting. Manchester Evening News coverage. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/manjailed-attempted-murder-caught-7778317

R v Gaefelipour – Murder of ex-partner. Daily Mail coverage. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-2831494/Murdered-nurse-wasnt-told-risk.html

R v Mannan – Murder case which attracted a lot of national press coverage BBC news coverage of the case. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-19927011

R v Taylor and Whiteley – Sadistic murder by two defendants who were a self styled “Bonnie and Clyde” which received extensive press coverage. Daily Telegraph coverage of the case. Stockport Express Coverage of the case. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-19927011

Firearms/Robbery/Violence

R v Ashraf – Prosecution of man charged with three counts of robbery that took place over a four-day period. Sentenced to 14-years with an extended sentence. https://www.manchestereveningnews.-co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/man-used-scissors-rob-mcdonalds-14823248

R v Fagan – Series of robberies against female victims along the “Falloweld Loop”. Detection largely achieved using mobile phone cell siting. Manchester Evening News coverage.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/ruthless-career-criminal-who-attacked-8415168

R v Shahabi Shack – Gun shop owner Firearms appeal dismissed establishing a new legal principle.

R v Corkovic & Waring – Armed robberies – total of 38-years in sentences. Press coverage.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2207822/Career-crooks-brazenly-pose-spoils-crime-Facebook-photo-gallery.html

R v Norman – Defence case representing the principal defendant in a ten strong team of people carrying out high value commercial burglaries and thefts from ATM machines across Manchester and Cheshire. ITV coverage. https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2012-10-30/greater-manchestercrime-gang-jailed

“Operation Uganda” – Concerned the targeting of properties for high value burglaries and robberies by an organised gang. Prosecution depended largely on surveillance and analysis of phone billing evidence.

R v Cameron and others (Leading Junior). Prosecution of gang for kidnap and threats with a firearm of an individual believed to have robbed their drugs runner. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/adria-cameron-ricardo-bell-court-15833421

R v Jones. Case involved possession of a stash of illegal rearms. Involved “antique rearm” defence.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/gun-obsessed-78-year-old-11263847

Other

R v Joyce – Successful prosecution of a ‘Hit and Run’, causing death by dangerous driving, whereby the son of the deceased witnessed the collision. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/nine-year-oldboy-saw-10769353

“Operation Marco” (R v Mackin and Chevelleau) – Successful prosecution of a historic “Hit and Run” concerning the death of a ve-year-old boy and the cover-up which had helped prevent its earlier detection. http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/nawneemackin-jailed-samuel-walker-10487491

“Operation Dolly (Shah and Iqbal) (leading Junior) – Prosecution of a complicated, interlinked banking and credit card fraud.

R v Wieczorek – Prosecuting, series of arson attacks. Sentenced to seven-and-a-half years. Coverage in Manchester Evening News. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchesternews/
salford-arson-re-breathing-dragon-12071774

R v Owen, Qadir and Ashraf – Fraudsters con people of more than £100,000 in elaborate car scam
Manchester Evening News coverage. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greatermanchester-
news/car-scam-fraudsters-jailed-john-7239794

R v Kamran Khan & Shamin Uddin – Death by dangerous driving caused by competitive driving
Manchester Evening News coverage. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/drivers-who-mowed-down-caring-681947

R v Udin, Udin and Hussain – Honour based violence trial. Manchester Evening News coverage –
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/jalal-uddinmurder-trial-live-11842450

“Operation Groundhog” – Conspiracy to steal vehicles. Prosecuting, Investigation using extensive police surveillance and cell site analysis.

R v Scraggs and R v Kee – Prosecuting, both cases of female defendant “glassings” in Manchester city centre clubs. Each involving horrific facial injuries. Both received extensive local and national press coverage.

“Operation Mascot” – Prosecuting, football disorder case following a Stockport County match.

R v Jama and Others – Prosecuting, Complicated conspiracy to defraud involving a number of employees of a mobile phone retailer.