John is a highly experienced and respected criminal practitioner with extensive expertise acting on behalf of both the prosecution and the defence. He routinely handles cases of the utmost seriousness, complexity, and sensitivity, many of which have attracted significant national and regional media attention. His practice is firmly focused on the most serious areas of criminal law, including homicide, serious sexual offences, large-scale drugs conspiracies, and complex fraud matters.

John has been a Category 4 prosecutor for over 20 years, reflecting his standing as a senior and trusted advocate in the most demanding cases.

John has developed a particular specialism in modern slavery and human trafficking prosecutions. Most notably, he led the prosecution team in the trial arising from Operation Imperial, which followed the largest police investigation into modern-day slavery ever conducted in Wales. This case involved extensive evidence, multiple defendants, and complex legal and factual issues, and demonstrated John’s ability to manage and present highly intricate cases to a jury. He is well accustomed to leading and coordinating teams of lawyers and specialists in the preparation and delivery of substantial and document-heavy trials.

In addition to his work in serious organised crime, John is frequently instructed in cases involving professional and high-profile individuals accused of serious criminal offences. His experience includes representing professional sportsmen and police officers, often in matters where reputational issues and public scrutiny are of particular importance. He is known for his careful, strategic approach and his ability to handle such cases with discretion and authority.

John’s expertise in financial crime has also led to him delivering specialist training on Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) and financial investigation issues to lawyers and police officers in the Caribbean. His ability to explain complex legal principles in a clear and practical manner has made him a sought-after trainer in this field.

John is an accredited pupil supervisor and is committed to the training and development of junior members of the Bar.

John Hipkin KC is a barrister registered with Bar Standards Board of England and Wales. He is a sole practitioner and has professional liability insurance provided by the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund Ltd., Bar Mutual Management Company, 90 Fenchurch Street, London EC3M 4ST www.barmutual.co.uk. Bar Mutual provides cover for claims brought anywhere in the world.

All members of Pendragon Chambers provide legal services on a contractual basis pursuant to the Bar Council’s Standard Terms and Conditions unless expressly agreed, or otherwise varied, in writing.

Complaints procedures. Our complaints procedures are available to the lay client as well as those organisations directly instructing a member of Pendragon Chambers. If a lay client wishes to complain, they may do so directly to Chambers without going through their solicitors. Please click this here for fuller details Complaints Procedure.

VAT details are available upon request and are provided on our initial acknowledgement letter which is generated upon receipt of your Brief or instruction to Counsel. It is also provided upon our fee note to our client.

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Prior to embarking upon a career at the Bar, Sarah had an incredibly successful career as an entrepreneur in which she co-founded and directed a business in the brewing industry. Demonstrating her relentless quest for excellence and drive to succeed, she won multiple business awards along the way including a Great British Entrepreneur Award, a Wales Chamber of Commerce Award and a Daily Mail/Natwest Entrepreneur of the Year award.

After negotiating the sale of her business shares in 2021, Sarah followed her longstanding dream of becoming a barrister. Showcasing her determination and dedication, she achieved a Distinction in the Post Graduate Diploma in Law at the University of Law. Moreover, she won the Dean’s Award for Best Overall Performance for attaining the highest mark of the cohort. She went on to complete the Bar Training Course at Cardiff University, achieving an Outstanding. Always striving to be the best in everything she does, she again won awards on the Bar Training Course, this time securing four out of the seven accolades awarded. She succeeded in achieving the awards for Best Overall Student on the Bar Training Course, Best Student in Conferencing Skills, Best Student in Drafting and Opinion Writing and Best Student in Civil Litigation.

In recognition of her academic ability and potential at the Bar, she was awarded numerous scholarships as a student including two highly coveted Inner Temple Exhibition Scholarships and the University of Law ‘Law First’ Scholarship.

Sarah joined Pendragon Chambers in October 2025 and she will be a major part of the growth of our criminal team. She is already instructed in a plethora of criminal Crown Court trials including grievous bodily harm with intent, Class A drug supply, wilful neglect by a care worker and sexual offences. She has also been instructed in cases involving the modern slavery defence and a defence under the Human Rights Act. She has represented defendants who are mentally unwell including those with issues around fitness to plead and to stand trial. Sarah is well-known for her conscientiousness, court presence and communication skills. Her easy manner, empathetic nature and exceptional client care means she is the kind of advocate that makes solicitors feel that they are in safe hands. Sarah will also be accepting instructions in civil matters, putting to good use her aptitude in this field, intellectual ability and drafting skills (see awards noted above).

Outside of the court room, Sarah enjoys travelling with her fiancé and two young children.

For enquiries and legal assistance, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Alex through his
clerks at: clerks@pendragonchambers.com

Your legal challenges will be met with expertise, dedication, and a commitment to achieving
the best possible outcomes for you.

All members of Pendragon Chambers provide legal services on a contractual basis pursuant
to the Bar Council’s Standard Terms and Conditions unless expressly agreed, or otherwise
varied, in writing.

Complaints procedures. Our complaints procedures are available to the lay client as well as
those organisations directly instructing a member of Pendragon Chambers. If a lay client
wishes to complain, they may do so directly to Chambers without going through their
solicitors. Please click this here for fuller details Complaints Procedure.

VAT details are available upon request and are provided on our initial acknowledgement letter
which is generated upon receipt of your Brief or instruction to Counsel. It is also provided
upon our fee note to our client.

The post Sarah John appeared first on Pendragon Chambers Swansea.

Called 2021

Kate joined Pendragon Chambers in August of 2024 following successful completion of pupillage with the Crown Prosecution Service and time as a Tenant at Albion Chambers.

Prior to a career at the criminal Bar, Kate served in the British Army after joining straight from school and arrived at her first unit in Germany during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Following her military service, she travelled around the UK and Cyprus in various civilian roles including investigating international fraud, teaching sport and fitness to British Army trainees and providing legal advice to a University Health Board on their involvement in the Infected Blood Inquiry.

Kate is regularly instructed in complex private family law including matrimonial finance and criminal matters. She is also instructed in public family law, employment tribunals, civil cases and judicial review. She is registered with the Welsh Government Public Law Barristers Scheme.

Kate is passionate about advocating for Armed Forces personnel and veterans and can be instructed for court martials.

Notable cases:

W v E – successfully advocated for the complete termination of Parental Responsibility of a parent

For enquiries and legal assistance, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Kate through her clerks at: clerks@pendragonchambers.com

Your legal challenges will be met with expertise, dedication, and a commitment to achieving
the best possible outcomes for you.

All members of Pendragon Chambers provide legal services on a contractual basis pursuant
to the Bar Council’s Standard Terms and Conditions unless expressly agreed, or otherwise
varied, in writing.

Complaints procedures. Our complaints procedures are available to the lay client as well as
those organisations directly instructing a member of Pendragon Chambers. If a lay client
wishes to complain, they may do so directly to Chambers without going through their
solicitors. Please click this here for fuller details Complaints Procedure.

VAT details are available upon request and are provided on our initial acknowledgement letter
which is generated upon receipt of your Brief or instruction to Counsel. It is also provided
upon our fee note to our client.

The post Kate Lewis appeared first on Pendragon Chambers Swansea.

Year of Call – 1976

Inner Temple

Greg joined Pendragon in 2017, a proud Welshman Greg was born and bred in the Rhondda.

Called to the Bar by the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple in 1976.

Having completed pupillages in London and Cardiff he accepted a tenancy in what was to become 30 ,Park Place Cardiff, where he built up a very substantial criminal and common law practice.

Greg has built a very substantial practice in criminal law , fraud and regulatory work both in the United Kingdom and overseas.

Appointments

Assistant Recorder 1995
Recorder 2000
QC 2003
Junior, Wales & Chester Circuit 2001-2003
Treasurer, Wales & Chester Circuit 2007-2010
Leader, Wales & Chester Circuit 2010-2013
Practised from Chambers of Sir Desmond de Silva QC to 2011
Member Chambers of Max Hill, 18 Red Lion Court, London 2011-2014
Queens Counsel, Public Defender Service, 2014

Areas of Expertise

Greg has extensive experience in exceptionally serious and complex fraud cases, including VHCC cases. Substantial expertise and practise throughout England and Wales in the widest spectrum of serious criminal work including serious commercial fraud, money laundering, confiscation, terrorism, murder, sexual offences and other violent crimes. Used to dealing with complicated, paper-heavy cases. Able to quickly absorb complex material and a good manner when dealing with lay clients. Prosecuted and defended many high profile, media-generating cases including the case of R v Mills where three generations of the same family were murdered by arson, and the ‘failed London bombers’ terrorist case. Substantial experience in cases of gang and domestic murder, and cases where defendants have given evidence against each other. Specialist knowledge of explosives, having dealt with cases involving the same. Regarded as a leader who works well in a team, encouraging Juniors to give of their best at all times. Gives 100% effort and commitment to every case.

Notable Cases

Set out below is a selection of cases in which Gregory Bull KC has been involved, but it should not be regarded as exhaustive.

FRAUD, CONSPIRACY

R v. C and Others (2013) Birmingham Crown Court. Represented a mortgage broker in a multimillion pound conspiracy to obtain mortgages. 15,000 pages of documents involved.

R v. S (2012) Birmingham Crown Court. Represented a businessman accused of conspiracy to defraud, and breach of a restraining order, involving millions of pounds. This was an extremely complicated case as it involved multiple companies and solicitors. Further, the case had overseas interest in that companies from Dubai and a bank from India all featured. The case was linked to a much larger fraud committed by a well-known businessman in the West Midlands.

R v. M and Others (2012) VHCC. Five+ months. Swansea Crown Court. Represented a retired Chief Inspector of Police in a conspiracy to pervert justice resulting from a historic murder case. This was a case where the prosecution had failed to disclose proper information and it involved over 100,000 + documents.

R v. L and Others (2006) Southwark Crown Court. Represented Malaysian businessman accused of attempting to obtain £96 million from the Bank of England with forged pre revolution bearer bonds. Following trial, all defendants were acquitted on submission.

R v. N and Others (2003) VHCC case. Cardiff Crown Court. This case took over four months of painstaking research and preparation. Represented the main defendant in a case of serious fraud where a car dealer had defrauded finance companies over the sale of fictitious motor vehicles. The case involved over 10,000 documents and a number of finance companies and insurance companies

R v. M and Others Newport (Gwent) Crown Court. Junior in the case of a solicitor prosecuted for fraud of banks. This was the largest fraud ever tried in Wales involving extremely complex evidence (eventually stopped on the grounds it was too difficult for the jury to understand).

TERRORISM

R v. G (2007) VHCC. A terrorism case involving the ‘failed London bombers’. This case took four months and followed very substantial preparation at the Central Criminal Court. The Defendant was one of a family group who facilitated the escape of a failed bomber from the United Kingdom. Very substantial preparation was required around this and the original bombing trial.

MURDER

Defended and prosecuted dozens of case in silk involving gangs and young offenders.

R v. H (2013) Defended Slovak national accused of murder by kicking another to death inflicting over 60 fractures to the head. Acquitted of murder; convicted of manslaughter.

R v. M (2013) Prosecuted triple murder of three members of the same family by arson.

R v. B (2007) Defended gang member who was acquitted of the murder of another youth.

Email clerks@pendragonchambers.com

Gregory Bull KC is a barrister registered with Bar Standards Board of England and Wales. She is a sole practitioner and has professional liability insurance provided by the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund Ltd., Bar Mutual Management Company, 90 Fenchurch Street, London EC3M 4ST www.barmutual.co.uk. Bar Mutual provides cover for claims brought anywhere in the world.

All members of Pendragon Chambers provide legal services on a contractual basis pursuant to the Bar Council’s Standard Terms and Conditions unless expressly agreed, or otherwise varied, in writing.

Complaints procedures. Our complaints procedures are available to the lay client as well as those organisations directly instructing a member of Pendragon Chambers. If a lay client wishes to complain, they may do so directly to Chambers without going through their solicitors. Please click this here for fuller details Complaints Procedure.

VAT details are available upon request and are provided on our initial acknowledgement letter which is generated upon receipt of your Brief or instruction to Counsel. It is also provided upon our fee note to our client.

The post Greg Bull KC appeared first on Pendragon Chambers Swansea.