Ben Darabi

Ben is an experienced and highly sought-after lawyer who specialises in serious and complex crime. He has particular expertise in homicide, serious drugs, money laundering, serious violence and firearm related offences. He was instructed to defend multiple clients for encro chat prosecutions.

Ben has a formidable reputation and is often instructed to defend in very high-profile cases. He has a huge client following and is comfortably one of the busiest practitioners in the country.

His confident, no-nonsense approach, coupled with his empathy and great client care skills make Ben a popular choice for lay clients. Over the years he has built up strong relationships with some of the best regarded forensic experts, which he often deploys to challenge prosecution evidence and enhance the defence of his clients.

Ben is frequently instructed to defend and advise clients from the music industry, including numerous award-winning artists. His celebrity clients include award winning and number 1 album selling rapper Nines, award winning rapper Pa Salieu, rapper Skrapz and drill rapper Suspect, amongst many others.

Ben successfully defended the former chief of police of Romania for an allegation of sexual assault.

Ben has represented individuals who face prosecution from the Crown Prosecution Service, His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, the National Crime Agency and the Serious Fraud Office.

Ben’s work includes the following:

Homicide/Grave Related Offences

• R v TM – Central Criminal Court – Representing well known drill rapper for an allegation of murder in a tit for tat gang feud involving two notorious London based gangs. TM was extradited from Kenya to face criminal charges. Drill stars arrested in Kenya appear in court over murder of ex-Southampton youth player in Camden | Daily Mail Online
• R v AD – Central Criminal Court - - Represented defendant charged with murder and attempted robbery of the son of a Middle Eastern Sheikh, in the ‘Harrods murder.’ The co-defendant ran a cut throat defence. AD was acquitted of murder and attempted robbery. Knightsbridge killing: Man guilty of murdering student - BBC News
• R v HO – Central Criminal Court – Represented defendant charged in a multi handed tit for tat ‘ride out’ murder involving two notorious London based gangs. HO was acquitted. Drill rapper jailed for life over the murder of father Asante Campbell | Evening Standard
• R v FA – Central Criminal Court – Represented defendant charged in a multi handed case said to have lured and murdered victim, following a dispute over an unpaid drugs debt. FO was acquitted.
• R v JA – Central Criminal Court – Represented defendant charged in a multi handed knife murder, following a dispute over drugs. JA acquitted.
• R v NH – Central Criminal Court – Represented youth defendant charged with the broad day stabbing and Murder of another man on a busy London high road. NH was acquitted.
• R v HH – Central Criminal Court – Represented defendant charged with murder in a revenge shooting, following the robbery of a drugs line. HH was acquitted. Revenge killers who shot dead innocent man 'in wrong place at the wrong time' are jailed - Mirror Online
• R v SK – Manchester Crown Court – Represented defendant in a multi handed conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life in a tit for tat gang feud involving the notorious A team gang. SK was alleged to have been involved in a conspiracy where 4 shootings were carried out in under 48 hours. SK was acquitted. Violent gang members that 'blighted the streets of Salford' are jailed for spate of tit-for-tat shootings - Manchester Evening News
• R v ME – Preston Crown Court – Represented defendant in multi handed allegation of Murder. Me was alleged to be part of a county line drugs gang, who stabbed and killed a man as part of a drug turf war. ME was acquitted. Kris Kam death: Two jailed for 'cowardly' street stabbing - BBC News
• R v DK – Ipswich CC – Represented defendant in multi handed allegation of murder. DK was alleged to be part of a country line drugs gang alleged to have murdered a man who allegedly robbed one of the gang’s drug runners.
• R v CK – Central Criminal Court – Representing well known rapper for perverting the course of justice in a multi handed Murder trial. CK was alleged to be a leading member of a notorious London based gang who arranged and directed the destruction of a vehicle, following the broad day execution of a rival gang member. Gunman 'carefully planned' murder of dad shot in the face outside Wembley chicken shop - MyLondon
• R v LF – Central Criminal Court – Represented defendant in a multi handed prosecution in what was a legal first. LF was initially charged with conspiracy to murder in a ride out ‘gone wrong.’ The charges were later amended and LF faced a trial for perverting the course of justice for burning out the vehicle used in the ride out. Legal first as trio convicted of murder after their associate 'Billy the Kid' killed in shootout | UK News | Sky News

Other serious crime

• R v CF – Harrow Crown Court – Represented rapper Nines in an encro chat prosecution. CF was alleged to have been the mastermind behind a very large-scale importation of cannabis and the large-scale distribution of Class A drugs. CF was alleged to have conspired to import close to 1 tonne of cannabis over the conspiracy period. After months of negotiations with the prosecution an extraordinary deal was secured for CF for importation on just 28kg of cannabis and the distribution of class A charges being dropped. Nines: Chart-topping rapper jailed for importing 28kg of cannabis into UK from Poland and Spain | Ents & Arts News | Sky News
• R v PSG – Warwick Crown Court – Represented rapper Pa Salieu in a multi handed large scale violent disorder and section 18 stabbing. PSG was alleged to have been part of a group that chased, stabbed and assaulted another man. PSG pleaded guilty to a later violent disorder but denied the stabbing and an earlier violent disorder. He was acquitted of the violent disorder and no evidence was offered on the section 18 stabbing. Rapper Pa Salieu cleared of violent disorder incident - BBC News
• R v IM – Snaresbrook Crown Court – Represented defendant charged for the multi handed prosecution of the armed robbery of former world boxing champion Amir Khan. Amir Khan: Armed robbery was scarier than any of my fights - BBC News
• R v SZ – Basildon Crown Court – Represented defendant in an encro chat prosecution where it was alleged that SZ was the mastermind behind the importation and distribution of over 200kg of cocaine.
• R v AS – Harrow Crown Court – Representing defendant charged in a multi handed conspiracy to supply 80kg of cocaine.
• R v BL – Wood Green Crown Court – Representing defendant charged in a large scale multi handed conspiracy to supply cocaine.
• R v EH – Southwark Crown Court – Represented defendant charged in a multi handed conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life. EH was alleged to have behind a plan to take possession of an Uzi machine gun and silencer.
• R v RGP – Harrow Crown Court – Representing defendant charged as the leader in a multi handed conspiracy to import over 60 firearms.
• R v MB – Isleworth Crown Court – Represented defendant in multi handed conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life. The defendant had previous convictions for firearms and it was alleged that police surveillance showed a video of the defendant burying the firearm in a woodland area of a park. MB was acquitted.
• R v SLW – Southwark Crown Court – Represented defendant charged with attempted murder and possession of firearm with intent to endanger life. SLW was captured on CCTV shooting the victim. SLW argued he was acting in self defence and that the victim was a rival gang member being threatening towards him. SLW was acquitted.
• R v JP – Harrow Crown Court – Represented defendant charged in a multi handed conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent and conspiracy to rob £1 million pounds worth of drugs from rival dealers with a firearm. Police surveillance witnessed the robbery and alleged that JP was the one in possession of the firearm. A police chase ensued and the firearm was recovered from the car seat JP occupied. JP also had previous convictions for firearms. JP was acquitted.
• R v DH – Harrow Crown Court – Represented defendant in multi handed conspiracy to kidnap. DH was acquitted.
• R v MA – Isleworth Crown Court – Representing defendant charged with being part of a criminal network that laundered over £100 million cash of criminal proceeds Gang ringleader Abdulla Alfalasi jailed after £104 million in dirty cash smuggled into Dubai | UK News | Sky News