Our People

Satnam Singh Bains (2002)

Teams

Crime, International Human Rights and Actions Against the Police

Education

Human Rights Law – European University Institute (2001), Florence Italy.
LL.B. Brunel University (1999)
LL.M. Criminal Litigation, Inns of Court School of Law (2000)
Pegasus Scholarship (Inner Temple)

Profile

Satnam practices in crime, human rights and international public international law. He exclusively defends on all serious criminal matters ranging from murder, multiple fraud, armed robbery, firearms, drugs offences, serious violence including blackmail kidnapping, and serious wounding. Satnam has recently been instructed in a number of complex Operation Trident murder and gun crime cases. He has a particular specialisation in offences concerning cultural and religious factors. Satnam has developed an international dimension to his criminal and human rights practice. He is an advisor to the Human Rights Law Network, one of the largest NGO's in India having undertaken public interest litigation in Supreme of Court India. He undertook his pupillage at Tooks Chambers (Michael Mansfield QC) and was the pupil of Joel Bennathan QC.

As an accredited "Direct Access" Barrister, Satnam can take instructions for certain types of cases, directly from members of the public.

Murder

R v S and others (2011) - Central Criminal Court - Multi-handed murder of victim in a point blank shooting.

R v Izak Billy and others (2011) - Central Criminal Court- Co-Defendant who was 15 years old was accused of being the youngest ever contract killer in the UK http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12764465

Serious Fraud

R v Mert: led junior, a multi-million pound credit card cloning conspiracy.

Armed Robbery and Firearms offences

R v Orulebaja - Armed gang raid of Louis Vuitton Store in New Bond Street, over £150,000 goods taken, trial collapsed following sucessful application to exclude identification evidence given by police officers who failed to adhere to protocols on CCTV evidence.

R v Clarke (Operation Trident, Gun crime) – Judge upheld submission of no case on 2^nd limb of Firearms Act – Overruled by Court of Appeal on appeal against terminatory ruling by Crown on the interpretation of “intent to endanger life.”

R v McClean involving an abuse of process argument on delay and a failure to charge a series of armed robberies simultaneously.

R v Ubhi: sole counsel, described as “the second largest police enquiry in Warwickshire of 2005”.

False imprisonment , blackmail and kidnapping

R v Periyaniyagam - (false Imprisonment and blackmail - Central Criminal Court – sole counsel, evidence of given by live link from India.

R v S and M (Isleworth Crown Court) – Kidnapping, blackmail and armed robbery.

Vulnerable Defendants

R v B - (15 year old charged with arson causing over £100,000, case dismissed following a successful submission of no case after a re-trial)

Judicial review and case stated proceedings

R. v. Balraj Shergill - One of the first judicial review cases on the reasonableness of refusing bail following the abolition of High Court bail.

He also provides written advices and representation in proposed civil actions against the police (false imprisonment, unlawful arrest and malicious prosecution).

Pro-bono and human rights

Satnam advised on a Criminal Cases Review Commission appeal involving the admission of prejudicial evidence concerning a now proscribed terrorist organisation.

Publications

Human Rights “India: The Challenge Ahead” Counsel Magazine 2008

Lectures

Co-coordinator for Judicial Colloquim Delhi (2011) on International developments in Equality and non discrimination Law held in New Delhi on the 29th and 30th of January 2011 jointly organised by the Human Rights Law Network based in India, the Equal Rights Trust based in the UK and the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales. /news/2011/03/07/rajesh_rai_and_satnam_bains_-_judical_colloquium/

Guest speaker on the debate “Free speech should stop where offence begins” held by the Institute of Ideas and Pfizer Debating Matters National Competition. (2006)

Speaker: The murder of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra: Simon Frazer University Vancouver, Canada (2010)

Speaker: People Tribunal Enforced Disappearances, extra-judicial killings and Torture – JNU University New Delhi , India (2008)

Languages: Satnam speaks Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu.

Other work

Tower Hamlets Council Standards Committee (2002 – 2008). Satnam served as vice-chair and independent member of the The Committee investigates and adjudicates on allegations of misconduct and impropriety of elected local councillors. Satnam is active in death row work and human rights work in South East Asia. He previously worked for the Prisoners’ Families and Friends Service and the Free Representation Unit

Memberships

Criminal Bar Association, Human Rights Lawyers Association, Bar Pro Bono Unit, Free Representation Unit.