Minka Braun

White Collar, Crime and Investigations

R v Jean-Jacques & Others

Acted for the only defendant acquitted in a significant fraud trial. The defendant was alleged to have been the bank’s ‘inside man’ in a sophisticated fraud, where his work log-in details were used to remotely facilitate money transfers from high-value accounts held within the bank to various untraceable offshore bank accounts.

R v Hezekiah & Others

This multi-handed trial related to a sophisticated credit card fraud.

R v Brogan & Another

Leading counsel for the first defendant in an elaborate fraud case. The case involved a five-day fitness to plead hearing relating to the defendant’s serious mental impairment and culminated in his acquittal on every count.

R v Wright & Others

Acted for a well-known footballer, who was alleged to have conspired to convert criminal property, a priceless Ming vase, that had been stolen in a Swiss art museum heist.

R v Maughan & Others

Counsel for the first of five defendants facing allegations of conspiracy to launder the proceeds of crime. Acquittals were secured on all counts following legal argument.

R v Hossain & Others

Acted for an accountant accused of fraud and conspiracy to breach immigration law. These were protracted proceedings which included a trial, an appeal against a terminatory ruling, and a re-trial. The defendant was ultimately acquitted on each count.

R v Khan & Others

This was a 7-handed Very High Costs Case where the volume of case papers was in excess of 1 million pages. This 7 1⁄2 month, multi-agency prosecution included allegations of defrauding the Home Office and cheating the Public Revenue.

R v Pun & Others

This was a lengthy, multi-handed trial in which the defendants were alleged to have been engaged in the sale of counterfeit goods, money laundering and mortgage fraud.

R v Nguyen & Others

Leading counsel for a defendant alleged to have used his business (a nail bar) as cover to launder the proceeds of crime. The defendant was acquitted.

R v Di Lin & Others

Counsel for a defendant alleged to have been involved in laundering the proceeds of people trafficking and prostitution.

R v Madlani & Others

The defendant in this ‘Encrochat’ case was alleged to have been involved in laundering many millions of pounds from the sale of unlawful drugs.

Crime

Murder

R v Austin

In the course of a dispute between drug dealers, the deceased was struck by the defendant’s vehicle and killed. The trial raised issues of mechanical defect and accident. At the request of the QC leading, conducted cross-examination of each of the eye witnesses and wrote and delivered the closing speech.

R v Nixon

An acquittal was secured where, after the defendant punched the deceased to the ground, he was subsequently run over and killed by a passing car. The case involved careful and sensitive analysis of causation and raised issues of novus actus.

R v Edrich

A severely depressed, former university lecturer shot and killed his wife. The case addressed complex issues relating to the defendant’s fitness to plead.

R v Ramirez & Others

Two drug barons punished and bludgeoned to death one of their street dealers for his perceived disloyalty in the ‘brandy bottle murder’ case. The case necessitated careful blood stain pattern analysis, to distinguish between participants and witnesses to the offence.

Kidnapping & False Imprisonment

R v Bryan & Others

Acquittals were secured in a high-profile case involving two girls having been kidnapped, falsely imprisoned and branded with a steam iron. Acquittals followed careful consideration of the limitations of joint enterprise.

R v Ngwendema & Others

This trial alleged a conspiracy to kidnap and falsely imprison the 14-year-old brother of a rival gang member. The issue at trial related to whether the defendant’s continued presence and limited role amounted to participation.

Firearms

R v Mohammed & Others

Acquittals were secured on all counts relating to the possession of a ‘massive arsenal’ of weapons and firearms. The case involved analysis of and cross-examination in relation to fingerprint quality and placement.

R v Baffoe & Another

This possession of firearms with intent to endanger life trial involved meticulous analysis of the limitations of seemingly ‘incontrovertible’ DNA evidence.

R v Okubote

Acquittals were secured in a trial alleging possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, where the prosecution sought to rely upon deficient evidence of gun shot residue recovered from the defendant.

Organised Violence

R v Mohammed & Others

Represented the first of four brothers accused, and subsequently acquitted, of conspiracy to commit GBH. It was alleged that the brothers had arranged to avenge their father’s honour outside their mosque.

R v Cregan & Others

Counsel for first of 28 anti-fascist activist defendants, alleged to have been involved in organised violence against neo-fascists attending a neo-Nazi music event.

R v Stevens & Others

Secured from the jury their only acquittal in a complex, nine-handed, gang-related GBH trial.

Drugs Offences

R v Mansaram

Acquittals secured on each count in a trial involving the production of a massive quantity of crack cocaine. The case involved analysis of a vast amount of surveillance and scientific evidence.

R v Rogers & Another

Acquittal secured for a serving British soldier alleged to have imported more than 30 kilograms of cannabis into the UK whilst on leave. The trial involved a cut-throat defence with a fellow serving soldier suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder following deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan.

R v Jojart

Acquittals were secured in a case alleging conspiracy to import a large quantity of Class B drugs.

R v Head & Another

Acquittals were secured in a cut-throat trial alleging the importation of a large quantity of 100% pure cocaine.

R v Brown

Acquittal secured in case alleging the large-scale importation of cannabis.

R v Masson

Case related to the importation of more than 130 kilograms of cannabis imported into the country in a box containing a grand piano.

Sexual Offences

R v Nangpal & Others

Acquittals were secured on each count in a high-profile, 12-week trial which alleged the gang grooming of two young complainants over the course of a decade.

R v Scaife

Allegation of rape against step-father resulted in acquittals on each count.

R v Reames

Allegations of marital rape against husband resulted in acquittals on each count.

R v Khan

Allegations of marital rape necessitated careful and sensitive analysis of Sharia law. Acquittals were secured on each count.

R v Barry

A submission of no case to answer was upheld in a trial alleging historic rape.

R v Allen

Historic allegations of indecency against children and recent allegations of possession of indecent computer images resulted in acquittals on all counts in three separate trials.

R v Squires

The cross-examination of a seven-year-old child with mental health difficulties was necessary in this case which alleged serious indecency against two children. Sentence was halved on the subsequent appeal.

R v Hylton

Allegations of sexual assault were made against a defendant who was profoundly deaf and without speech. The deployment of a deaf cultural expert and legal submissions causing the court to acquiesce to necessary accommodations ensured a fair trial and resulted in acquittals on each count for this defendant.

General Crime

R v Muhid & Others

Counsel for one of eight defendants in ‘Al-Qaeda fundraising’ case. The trial involved analysis of speeches made by defendants in a mosque, alongside careful consideration of the permitted parameters of free speech and the right to manifest religious belief.

R v Pun & Others

Counsel in lengthy trial alleging a conspiracy to facilitate the breach of immigration, a conspiracy to sell counterfeit goods, money laundering and mortgage fraud.

R v Torto & Others

Counsel in the lengthy ‘bogus college case’ which alleged a conspiracy to breach immigration law through the provision of false college certificates.

R v Winter

This case of causing death by dangerous driving resulted in multiple child fatalities and necessitated the analysis of numerous technical expert reports.

R v Leo

An allegation of arson with intent to endanger life was made against a severely mentally disordered defendant. An acquittal was secured following trial.

R v Tullett [2011] EWCA Crim 2803

The terms of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) were agreed to be too wide and draconian in prohibiting unsupervised contact with children where there was no evidence of any predisposition towards contact offences with children.

R v Uhegbu [2011] EWCA Crim 2737

Successfully argued that conviction was unsafe due to inconsistent verdicts.

R v Guest [2011] EWCA Crim 1542

The appeal against specific prohibitions contained within a SOPO was allowed.

R v Nwadinobi [2009] EWCA Crim 1006

The Court of Appeal upheld the submission that a direction must be given that time spent in custody should count toward sentence, unless the court forms the opinion (on the basis of material before it) that it is just in all the circumstances not to give such a direction.

Education

• LLB (Hons), Queen Mary College, University of London

• BVC, Inns of Court School of Law

Professional Memberships

• Criminal Bar Association (CBA)

• Lawyers for Liberty

• Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers (ARDL)

Languages

• German

• Hebrew

• Yiddish