Our Lawyers

Rajesh Bhamm

Rajesh Bhamm

Partner & Solicitor

Rajesh qualified as a solicitor in 1998 and has specialised in criminal defence work since then. Initially training in commercial law and undertaking fraud cases, at the stage of a trainee solicitor, he has over 20 years’ experience practising criminal law. In 2001 he joined Baljit Tank and Simon Jowett as a partner in Tank Jowett Solicitors.

Rajesh has defended in some of the most serious and complex cases in the country. He is regularly instructed in drugs, murder, fraud and money laundering cases as well as in cases involving organised crime. Rajesh routinely deals with fraud cases involving pharmaceuticals/medicines (MHRA), post office frauds, company frauds, VAT fraud and tax evasion. Over the years he has dealt with many sexual offences, concerning historical and recent rape allegations, possession of indecent images, paedophile allegations, sexual abuse and other domestic related matters. Rajesh is also regularly instructed in allegations involving firearms and armed robberies.

Rajesh has a meticulous approach to case preparation and is outstanding in his understating of forensic issues and tactical considerations.  He has been involved in cases in which disclosure failings by the prosecuting authorities have been unmasked.

Rajesh’s practice covers all parts of the country and all levels of the criminal justice system, including pre-arrest and pre-charge advice through to representation at the Magistrates Courts, Crown Court (jury trials), and appeals against conviction and sentence. The investigation stage of a police enquiry can be very lengthy and stressful for the suspect in question. Rajesh is proactive in engaging with the investigating authority and has on many occasions persuaded the prosecution not to bring charges against his clients, by making representations challenging the evidence in the case.

Rajesh is a tough advocate, and has had substantial success fighting his own trials. He is experienced in cross examining police officers, expert witnesses and vulnerable witnesses. He is further experienced in dealing with inadequacies in the prosecution case and challenging non-disclosure.

Rajesh recognises the stress and anxiety that clients face, when subject to serious allegations, and how their personal and business lives can be affected. He prides himself on his ability to assist clients on how to navigate through these difficult circumstances. Rajesh only ever defends clients who face criminal allegations and never prosecutes. His clients come from all walks of life. Rajesh has advised company directors, accountants, city traders, and members of the medical profession to name but a few examples. He is committed to fighting injustices faced by his clients.

Rajesh is regularly recommended to clients by other professionals including barristers, accountants and other solicitors, because of his reputation for thoroughness, empathy and determination to achieve the very best outcome for all his clients.

Rajesh instructs a broad spectrum of barristers in the Crown Court. He ensures that he selects the most suitably qualified and experienced barristers for each case, with his client’s approval. Rajesh very often works with the most talented Queens Counsel in the country, such as Narita Bahra QC, and leading juniors.

Notable cases: –

Rajesh has been a qualified solicitor in excess of 20 years. The following is just a short selection of the many cases that he has been involved with, over the years that he has now practised:-

Following a 26 day murder trial at Northampton Crown Court, NS was unanimously acquitted of murder. This case was four-handed and became cut throat with NS co-defendant’s heaping the blame on each other.  The Crown served expert evidence showing all four co-defendant’s leaving Northampton in tangent, moments after the death of the deceased.

This case involving a defendant who had a previous conviction for manslaughter in very similar circumstances. Whilst the Jury convicted after 18 hours deliberation, Rajesh launched a successful appeal against sentence – The sentencing judge had imposed a minimum term of 33 years, but Rajesh appealed on basis that judge erred in invoking schedule 21 as a consequence of which the starting point should be 15 years and accordingly reduced the minimum sentence to 27 years. Rajesh instructed Sam Stein QC of Nexus Chambers in this case.

Rajesh was the solicitor with conduct of this most serious and complex double murder case within the Sri Lankan community. The trial lasted 9 months and involved many prosecution witnesses, tens of thousands of pages of prosecution evidence and a wide range of difficult issues involving identification evidence, admissibility of prosecution evidence, alibi defences, cell-site evidence and joint enterprise.

Rajesh was instructed in a three handed murder. Rajesh’s client allegedly lured the victim from his residence in order that the co-defendant (gunman) could shoot and kill him. A great deal of preparation was undertaken in the case including door to door enquiries with members of the public, following which Rajesh secured the acquittal of his client from the murder charges faced. William Coker QC was instructed in this case.

Whilst Rajesh’s client was initially charged with attempted murder, following defence representations the charges were reduced to s.18 GBH. The complainant suffered life threatening injuries as a result of AM’s alleged use of his car as a weapon (the case was heavily aggravated by this act). The complainant having been involved in an argument with AM, AM had driven the car deliberately at oncoming traffic in order to dislodge the complainant and cause him maximum injury. The complainant fell out of AM’s car after colliding with a stationary Transit van at around 50mph. The entire incident was caught on CCTV from two different angles which bore out the complainant’s account. The Jury was ‘hung’ (could not reach a verdict) after the initial trial. At the retrial following negotiations with the Crown on the ‘basis of plea’, a favourable sentence was obtained for AM.

Prosecution by Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

The Defendant was alleged to have been one of the ringleaders running a sophisticated and lucrative shipping business, with the aim of importing prescription only medicines, unauthorised medicines and Class C drugs from India to the UK, for onward sale across Europe. Over 50,000 pages of evidence had to be considered.

Allegations of a conspiracy to defraud the Royal Mail of £33million, and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Our client was represented by Queens Counsel and was acquitted of  all charges. There were four defendants charged. Rajesh met with the client pre-charge, had detailed conference with Queen’s Council, at that stage provided complete continuity for the client, in the police station stage, the Magistrates Court and then in the Crown Court. Eventually securing a complete acquittal in relation to all charges.

This case involved Rajesh defendant a defendant who was one of thirteen defendants. This case was described (at the time) as one of the largest prosecutions in the country. This was a multi-jurisdictional case, involving Mexico, Singapore, India and China. There were hundreds of thousands of pages of evidence served in this case (VHCC). Rajesh had to consider this material, ultimately taking the client through the same, extracting his detailed instructions. A favourable outcome was secured for the client.

X was a person of good character and a trainee solicitor of a reputable corporate practice. X was alleged to have used her sisters blue badge fraudulently, having parked in a disabled bay without her sister present. X had made full admissions in a roadside interview under caution with the fraud inspector. At trial, Rajesh successfully put forward that although X had parked in the disabled bay without her sister being with her, as she was going to drop her sister home some hours later, no offence had been committed. The trial largely hinged on the successful cross-examination of the fraud inspector, who admitted that his note of the roadside interview was not verbatim. If convicted, X would have almost certainly have been denied onto the roll of solicitors, as the offence is one of dishonesty.

Wrongful retention of credit – EC was a trainee teacher at the time of her arrest. EC was accused of being a money mule, following over £20,000.00 of fraudulent bank transfers entering into accounts in her name. EC account was successfully put forward that she had no involvement in the illicit transfers and no further action was taken against her.

This was a large scale county lines drug conspiracy. Rajesh was instructed by a defendant, who was said to be highly involved in the said conspiracy with twenty-two co-defendants. The case concerned mobile cell-site evidence, identification evidence, child witnesses and legal arguments concerning issues of admissibility of evidence and disclosure.

Rajesh represented a male who was alleged to have broken his ex-partners jaw and assaulted both of her parents in a drunken attack. The Crown Prosecution Service called our client’s ex-partner, her parents and their teenage daughter to give evidence at the trial. All four witnesses said that they saw our client punch his ex-partner and that he caused her broken jaw. Our client was acquitted of all counts following a five day trial at the Reading Crown Court. We had successfully put forward our client’s defence that the cause of the complainant’s broken jaw had not been established and that the defendant had acted in self-defence against her parents.

Rajesh represented a male who is said to have been a member of a organised crime group.