Introduction
Ben Close KC has been a specialist criminal and regulatory practitioner since being called to the Bar in 2009. In 2026, he was the country’s most junior criminal practitioner to be appointed a KC.
In 2025 he was appointed as a Recorder, sitting in crime on the Midland Circuit.
Ben is instructed by various prosecuting authorities and the defence in the most serious and complex cases. His recent and ongoing cases include murder, high-value fraud/money laundering, very large and complex drug conspiracies/importations, and cases involving serious sexual allegations.
As well as appearing regularly in the Crown Court, he has appeared successfully numerous times in the Court of Appeal including in reported cases, where he has been complimented for his thorough approach. In R v Needham and others 2016 EWCA Crim 455, Ben’s interpretation of the law (resisted by the prosecution) was adopted and became the guidance for calculating driving disqualification periods.
Ben has prosecuted several legal ‘firsts’, including the only prosecution for making disguised political donations; the UK’s only ‘swatting’ case (in which he advised on appropriate charges where the media reported there is a lacuna in the law); a case involving the torture of monkeys (another case involving extra-territoriality); and the first prosecution of a campaign of hoax calls utilising the statutory offence of public nuisance.
Prior to taking silk, he was ranked in the Legal 500 as a Leading Junior Tier 1 for Business and Regulatory Crime and for General Crime and Fraud (also ranked in C & P). In 2025, he was shortlisted for the Legal 500’s Crime & Extradition counsel of the year.
He is a Midland Circuit advocacy tutor and a tutor for Lincoln’s Inn. Ben was previously elected to the Bar Council where he sat on the Education and Training Committee. He is one of two counsel on the Midland Circuit trained to provide the Inns of Court College of Advocacy course ‘Advocacy for Children in Conflict with the Law’. He has had numerous articles published in the field of confiscation.
Homicide (Murder and Manslaughter)
Ben has prosecuted and defended in several murder cases, attempted murder and cases involving deaths.
His recent and ongoing cases include the prosecution of 3 defendants across 2 trials for conspiracy to murder. The case involved 2 men hiring an American hitwoman to carry out a killing. CCTV footage showed the would-be killer waiting for a member of the victim’s family to arrive home and then attempting to discharge a gun towards the head of their victim at close range. The gun jammed, and a few hours later she returned to the now vacant family home and discharged 3 shots through the windows. The case received nationwide attention after a national newspaper led efforts to track down the female assassin, who was extradited and prosecuted by Ben (as a led junior) in a separate trial.
He also has experience defending in murder cases, including in the case of a young defendant who was 1 of 5 defendants who faced murder. At trial in Birmingham, the High Court Judge allowed a submission of no case to answer. The prosecution unsuccessfully sought to appeal that ruling (expedited), leading to his client’s acquittal (the only defendant acquitted at that stage of the trial). Another man on trial was convicted of murder.
As junior counsel, Ben defended the first defendant on an indictment alleging conspiracy to murder. Ben successfully led arguments that there was no case to answer, which compelled the prosecution to accept (an already tendered) plea to section 18 (Ben having already successfully argued the prosecution must elect between a substantive offence of attempted murder and conspiracy to murder).
Also, prior to taking silk, Ben successfully prosecuted the trial of a man for attempted murder after he leapt through his former partner’s window with a knife, stabbing a man inside who narrowly escaped death.
Ben has prosecuted numerous cases involving deaths including: a case of corporate and gross negligence manslaughter before a High Court Judge following the collapse of a wall in the Jewellery Quarter; death by dangerous driving of such seriousness it resulted in the longest sentence thought to have been imposed for that offence; and a case involving the prosecution of a man who following an armed robbery, drove the getaway car in a dangerous manner killing one accomplice and badly injuring the other accomplice.
Fraud, Business and Financial Crime
Prior to taking silk, Ben was ranked in the Legal 500 as a Leading Junior Tier 1 for Business and Regulatory Crime. His long-standing interest in financial crime, including confiscation proceedings was also reflected in his appointment as a specialist advocate at the highest level on both the CPS Fraud and Proceeds of Crime panels, and the SFO’s Fraud and Confiscation panels.
In Operation Banstead, he successfully led a junior in the 5 month prosecution of 2 brothers who were each found guilty of conspiring to make fraudulent claims for Film Tax Relief and VAT. The defendants represented themselves and told the jury they were successful film producers who had made films available on platforms such as Amazon and in national supermarkets. One defendant was sentenced in his absence after leaving the country after cross-examination commenced.
He has defended and prosecuted in Ponzi schemes involving millions on pounds.
Ben’s ongoing defence cases encompass representing the first defendant said to be at the centre of a large money laundering operation involving crypto-currency.
Ben is instructed as a KC in the ongoing case of Operation Tuckhill. The first tranche of the case concerned the making of disguised political donations, which remains the only case of its kind. The case involves millions of pounds lent to Northampton Town Football Club by the Local Authority. The case has been the subject of ongoing media attention, with the BBC referring to the story as ‘Northampton’s missing millions’.
Confiscation:
Ben was involved in numerous complex confiscation proceedings involving the determination of third-party interests (‘s10A’) soon after the introduction of that legislation. Examples of confiscation proceedings he has conducted include a conspiracy involving drug importations valued at £1billion, and a case where more than £2m was confiscated as a result of drugs offences. He is also experienced in dealing with cases involving companies and the complications that can arise including piercing the corporate veil.
His experience extends to all aspects of proceedings within the confiscation regime, for example, the imposition, discharge and variation of restraint orders (including representing third-parties); applications to appoint receivers; enforcement hearings (encompassing legal argument in civil jurisdictions concerning property rights); and contempt proceedings.
He has appeared successfully in the Court of Appeal in such cases, including in reported cases.
Reported cases:
- R v Arun Bajaj [2020] EWCA Crim 1111 (led by Richard Atkins KC);
- R v Muddassar [2017] EWCA Crim 382;
- R v Malhi (Hardip Singh) [2016] EWCA Crim 2025;
- R v Mohammed Suleman Khan [2016] EWCA Crim 2287 (appeared in place of Andrew Smith KC (as he then was) at 7 years’ call).
Publications:
- ‘The Approach to increasing the Available Amount under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002’, published in The Criminal Law Review, Issue 9, 2020.
- Case comment on R (on the application of Kombou) v Wood Green Crown Court [2020] EWHC 152, published in The Criminal Law Review, Issue 10, 2020.
- Case comment on R. v Bajaj (Arun) [2020] EWCA Crim 1111, published in The Criminal Law Review, Issue 1, 2021.
Organised Crime and Terrorism
High profile cases include Operation Redcrab, in which Ben led a junior in the successful prosecution of 5 defendants for carrying out the audacious armed robbery of a jewellers. The case became well-known because of footage posted on social media depicting the ram-raid and closing down of a busy road in Birmingham. The case became the subject of BBC’s ‘Gold Heist’. All defendants were convicted following a trial lasting several weeks.
He recently completed the prosecution of a series of cases known as Operation Goliath, during which 12 defendants were prosecuted (all, successfully) across several sets of proceedings at disparate court centres in connection with the distribution of a metric tonne of cocaine amongst other offending. Sentences were imposed approaching 150 years’ custody: https://st-philips.com/news-events/ben-close-leading-lucinda-wilmott-lascelles-prosecute-12-defendants-who-received-almost-150-years-imprisonment/
Ben has prosecuted several other cases leading juniors in recent years, all involving multiple sets of different proceedings and organised crime groups distributing extremely large quantities of Class A drugs. Those cases have invariably involved analysing and presenting complex telephonic evidence alongside surveillance and other material.
His work also extends to human trafficking / exploitation. In one such case he successfully prosecuted a multi-week case (leading a junior) after which all 6 defendants were convicted of the exploitation of Vietnamese illegal immigrants by placing them in cannabis grows. Extensive telephone evidence, covert recordings, and ledgers were used to prove the offenders’ knowledge and involvement.
Serious Sexual Offences
Ben has prosecuted and defended in the most serious cases involving sexual allegations.
Those cases include leading a junior in the prosecution of a man for the serious sexual abuse of 8 family members over several decades.
Ben has successfully defended numerous cases involving a broad range of sexual offences including successfully acting in rape cases and cases involving historic allegations, for example: Ben obtained the acquittal following a trial of a teacher accused of sexually assaulting a student, and a nurse accused of assaulting a patient.
Regulatory
Ben’s experience in regulatory crime has mostly focused on serious Health and Safety cases (including manslaughter), Trading Standards/Consumer Protection, and Environmental cases. He also has experience of illegal money-lending cases (complementing his experience in financial crime).
Health & Safety, Corporate and Gross Negligence Manslaughter
Ben has a busy practice dealing with serious health and safety cases, including cases of manslaughter. He is a member of HSE’s panel of specialist advocates. Recent and notable cases include:
- Operation Thesis (2024) – The prosecution of 2 companies and its director and a site manger following the death of an employee after a wall fell on him during the demolition of a building in the Jewellery Quarter.
- R v SBM (2024) – Successfully prosecuted a company with a turnover of circa £2.5bn after a forklift truck collided with a customer.
- R v RP (2023) – Successful prosecution of a company concerning a Legionella outbreak.
- R v OIL (2021) – Prosecuted a company in relation to an accident where an employee received near-fatal and life changing injuries when he was crushed whilst carrying industrial equipment.
Current instructions include advising a local authority in relation to the death of a young employee from a food allergy.
Ben has acted as an instructor on HSE courses.
Trading Standards, Consumer Protection and Food Safety
Ben has a wide range of experience dealing with Trading Standards and Consumer Protection cases. Recent examples include:
- R v DF – Successfully prosecuted a case of fraudulent trading involving more than 30 alleged victims, defrauded out of hundreds of thousands of pounds by a builder.
- R v BY and LF (2024) – Successfully prosecuted 2 men for selling IPTV services without a licence and associated money laundering offences. The losses amounted to over £10m, and they could be shown to have received more than £400,000.
- R v TB (2023) – Obtained a suspended sentence for a defendant who illegally lent more than £350,000 to scores of clients.
Environmental
Ben has successfully prosecuted and defended in cases involving illegal waste disposal, including in multi-site, nationwide conspiracies. He has advised in relation to complex investigations involving organised criminal networks.
Testimonials
“Ben Close is exceptionally bright and particularly impressive getting to grips with huge amounts of evidence. He is very good on the law in those complex cases and brings a lot of his experience.” Chambers and Partners 2026
“Ben Close is incredibly hard-working and has very good judgement. He is no-nonsense and everything he does is with a straight bat.” Chambers and Partners 2026
“His ability to really grasp issues helped enhance my own understanding of the complex issues on a case. He’s a tremendously hard-working individual who delivers first-rate service.” Chambers and Partners 2026
“Ben Close is incredibly hard-working and has very good judgement. He is no-nonsense and every thing he does is with a straight bat.” Chambers and Partners 2026
“Ben is a highly experienced and serious advocate, renowned for his ability to master complex legal and factual cases with ease. His depth of knowledge and analytical skills consistently inspire confidence in clients and solicitors alike.” Legal 500 2026
“Ben is super bright. He is direct, straightforward, approachable, hard-working and great to deal with.” Legal 500 2026
“Ben is super-bright and very well respected by judges, and he is knowledgeable and effective on the law.” Chambers & Partners 2025
“Ben is incredibly able, articulate and fierce. He is a very polished and polite advocate.” Chambers and Partners 2025
“Ben is really hot on the facts and is helpful and incisive on the law.” Chambers and Partners 2025
“He is a very polished and polite advocate.” Chambers & Partners 2025
“Ben has a sound, analytical approach to work. His strength is in analysing a complex case and getting on top of the details; he is a junior for particularly difficult and demanding cases. His advocacy is also sound. Ben is a silk of the future.’ Legal 500 2025
‘Ben is a good junior: bright and tenacious.’ Legal 500 2025
“He’s the complete package – bright, hard-working and a good tactician.” Chambers & Partners 2024
“Ben is hard-working, bright and industrious. He is always amiable despite sometimes very stressful situations. He is always on top of the case to the smallest detail. He is sharp and decisive.” Legal 500 2024
“Ben gets to grip with the details of a case quickly. He has excellent drafting skills and delivers a great service every time.” Legal 500 2023
