Peter Dahlsen
- Called to the Bar in 1996
To instruct Peter Dahlsen, contact his clerks at clerks@2drj.com or call 020 7936 2613
Biography
A powerful and highly persuasive trial advocate, Peter is also a patient, authoritative, yet unstuffy adviser in all aspects of criminal law. He has a reputation for meticulous trial preparation.
Peter’s trial work includes murder, attempted murder and manslaughter as leading junior, junior and sole counsel.
Over the past 25 years, he has also represented many defendants facing the most serious crimes of a sexual nature, whether historic or recent.
Peter has also undertaken a considerable amount of Court Martial work, representing serving members of the Army, Navy and Air Force, both in the UK and overseas.
His practice is, nowadays, exclusively in criminal defence. However, Peter has in the past, prosecuted trials involving sexual violence and other serious violence towards children. His most recent prosecution work was in St Helena’s Supreme Court in the South Atlantic, prosecuting on behalf of the island’s Attorney-General.
Peter is particularly adept at working with vulnerable people, including young defendants and complainants, as well as with people suffering with mental health difficulties.
Whilst he enjoys the rough and tumble of trial advocacy, he is equally at home in the Court of Appeal and has a significant and successful track record when appearing in and advising on appeals against both conviction and sentence.
Peter has occasionally taught advocacy at the University of Law; he has also taught Administrative Law at undergraduate and post-graduate level and lectured on Criminal Law to various Law Societies.
Peter plays a very active role in the administration of chambers; he is chambers’ treasurer and is a member of the pupillage committee.
Being Australian, he is a passionate follower of cricket, but can easily be persuaded to watch just about any sport.
Case of Interest
Defence
- R v RS: As sole counsel, represented one of five defendants charged with murder. All five defendants were convicted; however, the conviction of RS was overturned by the Court of Appeal on the basis that the trial judge should have withdrawn the case against him from the jury
- R v NR: Court Martial of a naval officer accused of multiple counts of rape of a naval rating. Acquitted on all counts.
- R v OM: Defended a 12-year-old boy charged with the rape of two very young boys. Case dismissed at the beginning of the trial because of lack of evidence and serious failings in the interview process.
- R v BJ: Leading junior, successfully defended BJ who was accused of aggravated burglary in a multi-handed, drug-related, gang warfare trial.
- R v BF: Convictions for historic sexual abuse on two very young children overturned by the Court of Appeal in the light of fresh evidence.
- R v TD: Sole counsel defending a prison inmate accused of stabbing another inmate – acquitted.
- R v RC: Sole counsel representing a man accused of raping a prostitute – acquitted.
- R v SL: Sole counsel representing a man accused of raping his wife – acquitted.
- R v LF: Court Martial of a soldier accused of ‘glassing’ in a nightclub – acquitted.
- R v RB: Leading junior in a multi-handed attempted murder trial at the Central Criminal Court. Trial judge dismissed the case against defendant.
- R v WP: Court Martial of an airman accused of theft and fraud. Non-custodial sentence achieved, following guilty plea.
- R v KM: Successfully defended a ‘holy man’ accused of raping two teenage sisters.
- R v RJ: Sole defence counsel representing RJ, said to have been part of a major conspiracy to import £10 million of Class ‘A’ drugs.
- R v MG: Serving soldier accused of ‘glassing’, leading to the victim’s loss of an eye in a racist attack – acquitted.
- R v CB: Junior counsel defending in a female gangland murder allegation at the Central Criminal Court – acquitted.
- R v AA: Sole counsel defending in a multi-handed allegation of Violent Disorder – acquitted.
- R v BA: Leading junior, defending in multi-handed benefit fraud case – acquitted.
Prosecution
- R v DG: Successfully prosecuted a prep school teacher charged with historic sexual abuse against a 15-year-old boy.
- R v AB: Prosecuted a mother accused of removing all fingernails and toenails of her baby daughter – convicted.
- R v JA: Successfully prosecuted a man who had raped his step-daughter.
- R v MJ: Prosecuted a case of historic, repeated rape of a girl by her uncle – convicted.
Member
- Criminal Bar Association
- Association of Military Court Advocates
- Administrative Law Bar Association
- Gray's Inn
