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Gul Nawaz Hussain KC defends in the most serious and high-profile criminal cases in England and Wales: terrorism, espionage, murder, fraud and serious sexual offences. He also advises people under police investigation before any charging decision is made. He is an independent barrister, and Lex Vindico Group instructs him on behalf of its clients where a case calls for leading counsel.
Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, known professionally as Naz Hussain KC, is one of the most respected criminal defence barristers in the country. He appears in cases where reputations, careers and liberty are all at stake.
His practice covers terrorism and national security, espionage, murder and attempted murder, organised crime, multi-million-pound fraud, electoral fraud, and serious and historic sexual offences. His clients include high-net-worth individuals, senior professionals and public figures from sport, entertainment and music.
He was called to the Bar in 2000. Chambers UK and The Legal 500 ranked him as a leading barrister within three years of call, and both have ranked him every year since. He was appointed Queen's Counsel, now King's Counsel, in 2018, the first Sheffield barrister to take silk in more than fifteen years.
The directories reflect what instructing solicitors see in court. Chambers UK calls him "the single best story-telling barrister in the country". The Legal 500 describes him as "terrific with juries".
He is a self-employed barrister practising from No5 Chambers and 33 Bedford Row, where he heads the Sheffield annexe.
Lex Vindico Group is a specialist criminal defence and regulatory practice. Where a client's case requires leading counsel, the firm instructs Mr Hussain KC independently, through his clerks, on that client's behalf. The client then has a specialist solicitor managing the case from first contact and a leading silk advising on strategy and conducting the advocacy.
The firm and counsel share the same approach. They test every part of the prosecution case, pursue disclosure from the outset, and take nothing at face value.
The most important stage of many criminal cases comes before anyone is charged. Decisions taken during a police investigation, often within days of first contact, can shape the outcome long before a case reaches court.
Alongside Lex Vindico Group, Mr Hussain KC advises clients who are under investigation, have been arrested or invited to a voluntary interview, are on pre-charge bail, or have been released under investigation. His advice is particularly valuable in the most serious and sensitive allegations, including:
Pre-charge advice may cover:
The aim is simple: to give the client the best possible chance of the case ending without charge, and to be fully prepared if it does not.
In one rape trial the defendant had left the jurisdiction, and the Crown Court proceeded to try him in his absence. Mr Hussain KC was instructed the night before the trial. There was no client to take instructions from and no Defence Statement.
The defence case rested solely on his cross-examination of the complainant and his closing speech to the jury. The jury returned a unanimous verdict of 'not guilty'.
Few advocates could secure an acquittal on a serious sexual allegation without the defendant present to give his own account. It is the clearest demonstration of what his jury advocacy can achieve.
Mr Hussain KC has a particular reputation in terrorism trials that attract national and international interest. He has appeared in such trials at the Central Criminal Court, Woolwich Crown Court, Birmingham Crown Court and Sheffield Crown Court. His cases include:
In Operation Saby he persuaded the court that section 4 of the Explosive Substances Act 1883 should be read down, under section 3 of the Human Rights Act 1998, so that it placed only an evidential burden on the defendant. He has also appeared before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC).
He defended at Woolwich Crown Court in R v Daniel Khalife, one of the most closely followed trials of recent years. A former British soldier was accused of spying for Iran, and his escape from prison while awaiting trial led to heightened security checks at ports across the UK.
His homicide and serious violent crime cases include alleged gangland murders, alleged contract killings, armed robbery and the alleged attempted murder of a prosecution witness.
His sexual offences practice is one of the most successful at the criminal Bar. He has secured acquittals in cases alleging multiple rapes, alleged matrimonial rape, alleged historic sexual abuse within families, and child sexual exploitation.
Mr Hussain KC has had convictions quashed in the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division), with no retrial ordered, on the notoriously difficult ground of fresh evidence.
In one case the defence found evidence that the Crown had said no longer existed, and that evidence wholly supported the defendant's account. In another, the defence arranged its own Achieving Best Evidence (ABE) interview of a child witness whom the prosecution had overlooked, and persuaded the Court of Appeal to receive the evidence.
He is one of very few barristers to have defended a case alleging electoral fraud at a UK General Election. That case, Operation Talmice at Bradford Crown Court, was the first of its kind to come before the courts.
His fraud and financial crime work includes:
He has represented alleged leaders of organised crime groups in large-scale conspiracies to import and supply Class A drugs. These cases typically turn on covert surveillance, eavesdropping and international intelligence. They include Operation Mosaic, the "Full Metal Jacket" case at Sheffield Crown Court.
Chambers UK has noted his capabilities in defending complex criminal matters such as organised crime. A selection of his other cases follows.
Operation Lever, Central Criminal Court. An international telecommunication fraud involving the hijacking of mobile customers' SIM cards, generating more than £2.8 million.
Operation Talmice, Bradford Crown Court. The first General Election fraud case to come before the courts. The indicted defendants included the then Conservative parliamentary candidate and serving and former councillors.
Operation Thatcham, Leeds Crown Court. A 42-defendant "cash for crash" conspiracy involving fake claimants, accident management companies and associated professionals.
R v Francis, Sheffield Crown Court. An alleged large-scale fraud on a private bank involving an "inside man": a City of London Police investigation, with counts of acquiring and converting criminal property.
Operation Obtain, Sheffield Crown Court. Multi-defendant trials for handling stolen goods and possessing criminal property, built on covert audio and video surveillance by undercover officers.
Operation Minx, Sheffield Crown Court. He represented the alleged head of an extensive criminal organisation with international links, accused of conspiracy to supply cocaine.
Operation Kalon, Sheffield Crown Court. Alleged revenge attacks between two opposing Sheffield gangs, tried as section 18 GBH and then attempted murder. The case involved legal argument on the admissibility of gang injunctions.
Operation Helium, Warwick Crown Court. The alleged abduction and torture of an alleged opposing gang member, held for ransom.
R v Asiedu and others, Leeds Crown Court. Convicted terrorists alleged to have attacked a former soldier in prison because of his military service.
Operation Pilling, Leeds Crown Court. An alleged attack by prisoners serving life sentences, in HMP Wakefield, on a convicted war criminal.
R v Lee, Sheffield Crown Court. Alleged armed robberies of post offices across Yorkshire.
R v Duffy, Bradford Crown Court. He represented a serving soldier in two separate allegations arising from serious violence in nightclubs.
R v Patel and others, Snaresbrook Crown Court. A 40-day, four-handed kidnap and blackmail trial in which the principal witness's evidence and cross-examination lasted nine days.
R v W, Sheffield Crown Court. Alleged historic sexual abuse within a family. Police investigatory failings were discovered, and the jury acquitted.
Mr Hussain KC appears throughout England and Wales, including at:
He sits as a Legally Qualified Chair of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) and chairs the Adjudication Panel of the Professional Boxing Association.
His experience of defending the gravest criminal allegations makes him highly effective in complex family fact-finding hearings, including those involving allegations of rape, coercive control and serious violence.
A lifelong martial artist and former Thai boxer, Naz Hussain KC brings the discipline, strategy and composure of combat sport to his advocacy. He commentates at Muay Thai, K1 and MMA events. The media, universities and community organisations regularly invite him to speak on legal issues.
Who is Gul Nawaz Hussain KC?
Gul Nawaz Hussain KC (Naz Hussain KC) is a King's Counsel specialising in serious criminal defence and pre-charge advice. He was called to the Bar in 2000 and took silk in 2018. He is a member of No5 Chambers and head of the Sheffield annexe of 33 Bedford Row.
Does Gul Nawaz Hussain KC work for Lex Vindico Group?
No. He is an independent, self-employed barrister. Lex Vindico Group instructs him on behalf of its clients where a case requires leading counsel.
Can a KC advise me before I am charged?
Yes. In serious or sensitive investigations, early advice from leading counsel can be decisive. Through Lex Vindico Group, Mr Hussain KC can advise on interview strategy, evidence-gathering and written representations to the CPS before a charging decision is made.
What types of case does Naz Hussain KC take?
Terrorism, espionage, murder and attempted murder, serious sexual offences, fraud and financial crime, organised crime and drugs conspiracies, and appeals against conviction. He also takes regulatory, disciplinary and family fact-finding work.
How do I instruct Gul Nawaz Hussain KC?
Contact Lex Vindico Group in confidence. We will assess your case and, where leading counsel is appropriate, arrange the instruction through his clerks. Lex Vindico Group acts for clients on a privately funded basis.
If you are under investigation, have been invited to a police interview, or are facing a serious criminal allegation, early specialist advice matters. Contact Lex Vindico Group on 0203 011 2333 or at info@lexvindicogroup.com for a confidential discussion.
Gul Nawaz Hussain KC is regulated by the Bar Standards Board. Lex Vindico Group Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA number 8008240). The cases described above are drawn from Mr Hussain KC's practice at the Bar. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Profile reviewed October 2026. Further information: 33 Bedford Row profile | No5 Chambers profile.
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Barristers listed on this page are independent self-employed practitioners assigned to their respective chambers as mentioned. They are not direct employees of Lex Vindico Group. They are instructed by Lex Vindico Group on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the rules of the Bar Standards Board.
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