Giovanni di Stefano (born 1955) is an Italian European lawyer.[1] He is based in Italy, but frequently works as a legal advocate in the United Kingdom. He has made a reputation advising the defence in high-profile criminal cases in England and Wales and international courts. He gained the nickname The Devil's Advocate[2] in the UK media for representing "some of the country's most notorious villains",[3] and for his comment that he would "...defend Adolf Hitler or Satan."[3] He was a business associate of Serbian paramilitary leader "Arkan" (Željko Ražnatović)[2] and was one of the defence team in the trial of Saddam Hussein.[4] The Scotsman describes Di Stefano as a "colourful and often controversial lawyer";[5] The Guardian has called him "surely the only man in the world to claim the personal friendship of Saddam Hussein and the personal enmity of Delia Smith".[6] He also has founded a political party, taken a considerable interest in football and turned his hand as a music producer.
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Biography
Born in Campobasso, in rural southern Italy, he moved to Irchester in Northamptonshire in 1961, aged six.[3] He gained a fortune in business in his twenties by importing videotapes from Hong Kong.[3]
Legal career
Di Stefano runs an international legal practice from offices in Rome, the Studio Legale Internazionale. He has been involved in a number of major cases in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.[7]
Notable clients
- Jeremy Bamber
- Ronald Biggs
- John Gilligan
- Nicholas van Hoogstraten
- Saddam Hussein[8]
- Jonathan King
- Slobodan Milošević
- Kenneth Noye
- John Palmer
- Željko Ražnatović ("Arkan")
- Ian Strachan, one of the defendants in the 2007 Royal blackmail plot.[9]
A sense of injustice
Di Stefano reports being motivated by "a sense of injustice" after his 1980s conviction for fraud "was quashed" in the United Kingdom[10]. According to The Sunday Times Magazine, in 1986, Di Stefano was convicted after a 78-day trial and was jailed for five years[11] though the BBC reports that di Stefano has stated this was then quashed on the second appeal but that a sense of injustice remains, making each victory against the system a sweet revenge.[12] The "quashed charges" were for conspiracy to obtain property by deception and fraudulent trading.[13] In January 2004 The Guardian reported that Di Stefano was under investigation by the police and the Law society in 2004 concerning this[14] but no action was taken against him. The Scotsman has published records which they say show that di Stefano's first attempt to appeal the conviction was dismissed.[15] According to the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit di Stefano was deported and subsequently denied entry to the United States due to his conviction.[16]
Italian avvocato
In 2002 the Governor of HM Prison Belmarsh wrongly opposed his qualifications for having legal access to a client in prison, but the case of R (Van Hoogstraten) v Governor of Belmarsh Prison[1] in the High Court (23 September 2002) held that Di Stefano could not be denied the right to visit a client. The right of a qualified European Union lawyer to practise in a country other than their country of origin is governed by the provisions of the European Communities (Services of Lawyers) Order 1978 (SI 1978/1910).[17] In his decision, Mr Justice Jackson commented: "He is entitled as an Italian avvocato to the same courteous treatment before the courts and the authorities of this country that I would expect any English solicitor or counsel to receive before the courts or the authorities in Italy."[1]
2007 cases
As of April 2005, his law firm's website is hosting a petition to free Ronald Biggs, one of the the Great Train Robbers.[18] On 17 March 2007 he wrote to Lord Goldsmith, the Attorney General, asking for leave to prosecute Judge Rauf Rashid Abd al-Rahman (the judge who sentenced Saddam Hussein) under the Geneva Conventions Act 1957.[19]
Other interests
Football
In association with Arkan he purchased control of the Serbian second division football club FK Obilić;[20] within two seasons the club had won a place in the UEFA Champions League. Di Stefano announced his intention to purchase Dundee F.C. in 1999, however his bid failed due to adverse publicity.[20] In January 2001, di Stefano announced his intention to purchase a stake in Norwich City F.C. from its former vice-chairman, however the deal failed to materialise.[21] In 2002, di Stefano entered into talks to purchase a 60% stake in Northampton Town F.C.,[22] however di Stefano's valuation of the club changed following an EGM, and the deal fell through.[23] Di Stefano approached the Dundee board again in 2003, and was appointed as a director on 7 August 2003.[20] Initially the club attracted big-name players such as Craig Burley and Fabrizio Ravanelli, but the club quickly ran into financial difficulties, 15 senior players were released from their contracts,[24] and di Stefano resigned from the club on 22 January 2004.[25] In April 2005, he proclaimed an interest in investing approximately €1m in Irish football club Shelbourne F.C.,[26] but the club rejected his interest, citing his decision to let his intentions be known to the media first as the reason.[27] In October 2007, di Stefano announced through his website his renewed interest in taking control of Norwich City F.C.[28]
Music producer
In 2007 he produced and launched an album by an Italian singer, Just Carmen, called Seriously Single and which included a track written by Jonathan King, Everyone's gone to the Moon, who gave permission for its use. Stefano's idea was to "put a relatively unknown singer into the studio with a series of big stars from the past." Featured artists included The Bachelors and Al Martino[29][30][31]
Founded political party
In April 2004, di Stefano founded a political party,[32] the Radical Party of Great Britain, and registered himself as its leader;[33]. In a November 2007 interview with Dublin's Hot Press magazine, Di Stefano is reported as expressing an interest in running in Ireland in the European elections with an anti-immigration manifesto.[34]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Regina (Van Hoogstraten) v Governor of Belmarsh Prison [2003] 1 WLR 264
- ^ a b Esther Addley (2002-10-25). The devil's advocate. The Guardian. Retrieved on 2007-05-24.
- ^ a b c d Jonathan King's 'best friend'. BBC News (2005-03-31). Retrieved on 2007-05-24.
- ^ CNN transcript: "Case Against Saddam; Behind the Verdict" Aired 14 June 2005.
- ^ Wright, Angus (2003-12-04). Marr brothers promise to write off Dundee debts. The Scotsman. Retrieved on 2007-12-29.
- ^ Portrait: Giovanni di Stefano, The Guardian
- ^ studiolegaleinternazionale: Cases list. Retrieved on 2007-12-29.}}
- ^ "Tabloid Photos of Hussein Create Controversy" CNN, May 23, 2005
- ^ Independent UK article
- ^ Jonathan King's 'best friend'
- ^ A law unto himself
- ^ Jonathan King's 'best friend'
- ^ A law unto himself
- ^ Fraudster lawyer's claim to act for Shipman is bogus, says family's solicitor
- ^ Hannan, Martin (2003-10-12). Giovanni Di Stefano: The Truth. The Scotsman. Retrieved on 2007-12-29.
- ^ Giovanni DI STEFANO, Plaintiff-Appellant v. Benedict J. FERRO, District Director INS, Rome Italy; Janet Reno, Attorney General, Defendants-Appellees. (no. 94-55822). United States 9th Circuit (1995-04-26). Retrieved on 2007-12-29.
- ^ "Annex 10A European Communities (Services of Lawyers) Order 1978"
- ^ Biggs petition. Retrieved on 2007-05-24.
- ^ Prosecuting Saddam's trial judge in the UK (2007-04-27). Retrieved on 2007-05-24.
- ^ a b c Di Stefano on board at Dens. BBC Sport.
- ^ Canaries sing for stakeholder power. Department of Culture, Media and Sport (June 2002). Retrieved on 2007-11-08.
- ^ Arkan's lawyer has ambitions to take over Northampton. The Independent (2002-5-22). Retrieved on 2007-11-05.
- ^ Cobblers Deal Off. BBC Sport (2002-08-27). Retrieved on 2007-11-05.
- ^ Di Stefano steps down. BBC Sport (2004-01-22). Retrieved on 2007-11-05.
- ^ Di Stefano quits but still has eyes for Dundee FC. The Courier.
- ^ Di Stefano requests Shels talks. BBC Sport (2006-04-20). Retrieved on 2007-05-24.
- ^ Statement regarding Di Stefano's interest in investing in the club. Shelbourne Football Club.
- ^ Saddam's lawyer wants to help Canaries (2007-10-24). Retrieved on 2007-11-08.
- ^ The Indepenendent May 14, 2007, p16 Devi's Advocate takes his case to the charts
- ^ The Daily Star May 15, 2007
- ^ News of the World P.37 May 20, 2007
- ^ Saddam's lawyer eyes Dundee poll. The Scotsman (2005-03-03).
- ^ The Electoral Commission Register of political parties.
- ^ "I'm going to run in Ireland in the European elections. You better believe it. I'm perfectly entitled in the European election to run in any EU state. You don't need to be resident or Irish. I will take my seat in Ireland because a lot of people will follow me. We are not a right wing party. We may be radical in name but not in nature. One of the things we'll have to deal with, as a matter of urgency, is immigration. That is the key thing because otherwise you are going to dilute Irish blood to such an extent that you'll almost wish that Cromwell hadn't got ill!" -- Paid access: http://www.hotpress.com/archive/4270757.html. A free PDF version of the article is hosted at Di Stefano's website: http://www.studiolegaleinternazionale.com/news/20071128HotPressDiStefano.pdf
External links
- Studio Legale Internazionale - Di Stefano's law firm in Rome
- The Radical Party
- BBC article and video interview for HARDtalk by David Jessel (first broadcast 2004-03-25)
- YouTube Videos
