William Harbage QC

36 Crime, the 36 Group’s criminal law team, comprises more than 40 members, including eight Queen’s Counsel. There is breadth and depth of experience and expertise in all areas of serious and complex crime.

36 Crime has members with both the experience and specialist knowledge to conduct effectively trials heavily concerned with the growing phenomenon of cybercrime. Prosecutions in this area are increasing, exponentially. The Government has recognised cybercrime as a Tier 1 Threat, and the latest crime statistics reflect the vast scale of previously unrecorded cybercrimes in England and Wales. The NCA’s NCCU, and specialist CPS prosecutors, are generating many more prosecutions than ever before.

The evidence in these cases is often highly complex and technically demanding, requiring specialist counsel with both expertise and experience in the field to prosecute or defend effectively.

36 Crime are fortunate to number amongst their team leading and junior counsel who have been at the cutting edge in prosecuting or defending in cybercrime trials, in recent years.

Leading members of the team have provided seminars for law enforcement personnel (including the NCCU), CPS and Defence Solicitors on Cybercrime, including one at the well-renowned Covert Policing – Annual Cybercrime Conference (London 2015).

Members of 36 Crime have developed a national reputation in this field having prosecuted and defended in some of the most high-profile cybercrime cases over the last few years, including:
•    R v Ackroyd and Others - 2013 at Southwark Crown Court – case involved an infamous international group of Hacktivists Lulzsec/Anonymous hacking into and DDoS attacks on multiple sites including the CIA, Sony and News International, allegedly causing over $30 million of damage; there was a participating informant in the US and evidence included substantial material from the FBI.
•    R v Floate - 2015 Birmingham Crown Court, cyber attacks on the FBI and the Home Office; evidence included material from the FBI.
•    R v Neale - 2015 Guildford Crown Court, cybercrime industrial sabotage and revenge case; ex-director of a cyber-security software company hacking into his erstwhile company’s systems in order to undermine them.
•    R v Sullivan - 2015 Liverpool Crown Court, DDoS attacks on multiple sites including UK police forces and BA.

William Harbage QC is a highly regarded advocate specialising in criminal and regulatory law. He is known for his thorough and conscientious approach. In crime, he undertakes both prosecution and defence work in roughly equal measure. William’s practice is mainly in cases of homicide; he has built up a particular expertise in cases with a medical or nursing element. His practice extends to all heavyweight and white collar crime including terrorism, cybercrime, fraud, money-laundering, misconduct in public office, and armed robbery. In regulatory law, his cases have involved Trading Standards, professional and sports disciplinary hearings, and the marketing of prescription medicines. He sits as Chairman of the Appeal Board of the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority and the self-regulatory arm of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry.